Caps vs. Oilers 1-17-2008 Preview

Washington Capitals (19-26; 43 points; 4th Southeast Division, 13th Eastern Conference, 27th Overall) vs. Edmonton Oilers (21-26; 46 points; 5th Northwest Division, 14th Western Conference, 24th Overall):
Caps Game #46, Home Game #23, NHL Game #691

Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. 7:07 p.m. Washington TV: Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic. Radio: WWWT 1500-AM, 107.7-FM. Edmonton TV: Rogers Sportsnet West. Radio: CHED 630-AM. NHL Center Ice: Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic feed.

Tonight the Caps host another exciting, thrilling mid-week, mid-January, inter-conference matchup this time it is against the Edmonton Oilers. There was a chance at some actual intrigue to tonight's game as Michael Nylander would have faced the team his wife vetoed over the summer for the first time, but yesterday's surgery put the kibosh on that. Last season the Caps were shutout in Edmonton 4-0 as then Head Coach Glen Hannlon pulled Brent Johnson down 3-0 late in the game. The Oilers are starting a five game road trip through the Southeast Division in eight days tonight with tonight's game being the first of three games in four days. The Oilers had a four game winning streak snapped on Tuesday night when they lost at home to the Los Angles Kings 3-1.


What The Natives Are Saying:

(Com)Post. Times. Caps.com.

Neutral Views:

NHL.com AP Wire.

Open Source Intelligence:

Edmonton Journal: hitting the road, still smarting, coveting Hossa, Game Day. Edmonton Sun: Eastern road trip, youth in D.C., critical trip, who to watch. Oilers.com.

What Do I Expect Tonight?:

The Oilers have never won in D.C., their last road win against the Caps came on January 26th, 1997, when the Caps played in the old Cap Centre in Landover, which is in the People's Republic of Maryland. The Oilers have also lost four of their last five road games. This is a team that the Caps can come back on because Edmonton has the second worst record of teams leading after two periods, but with both teams needing points to get into the playoff picture, falling behind at any point is not a good idea. Like last Wednesday's game vs. Colorado, this one too has 2-1 snoozefest written all over it. Edmonton also has the 9th ranked Penalty Killing unit and could very easily frustrate our Power Play unit.

Caps Nut Official Prediction:

Caps 1
Oilers 2
Winner by Penner

(28-17 on the season)