Caps vs. Sharks 10-15-2009 Preview

Washington Capitals (2-4; 6 points) vs. San Jose Sharks (3-3; 7 points):
Caps Game #7, Home Game #4, NHL Game #80

Verizon Center, Washington, D.C., 7:07 pm. Washington TV: Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. Radio: WFED 1500-AM. San Jose TV: Comcast SportsNet California. Radio: KFOX 98.5-FM. U.S. National TV: NHL Network (Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic feed) NHL Center Ice: None.

Tonight, the Caps look to end their four game losing streak when they face the San Jose Sharks for the first time this season at the Phone Booth. The Caps took one on the chin from the Sharks in the only meeting last year, losing 7-2 in San Jose, and have not beaten the Sharks in their last 11 attempts and haven't won at home against San Jose since February 20th, 1999. The Sharks are coming off a 1-0 gimmick loss at home to the Phoenix Coyotes at home on Monday night. That ended a two game winning streak for them as they are starting a six game road trip up and down the east coast with tonight's game.

What The Natives Are Saying:

(Com)Post: comfort zone, Game Preview. Times: setting things up, tickets still available. Caps.com.

Neutral Views:

NHL.com. AP Wire.

Open Source Intelligence:

Contra Costa Times. San Jose Mercury News.

What Do We Expect Tonight?:

Well folks it seems as if everybody is expecting a high-flying, high scoring, true defensive struggle tonight as two teams that like to light it up on the scoreboard go at it. Yet in their last game, the Sharks were shutout and the Caps have scored only two goals in each of their last two games. So while tonight's game is littered with players currently atop the league's points and goal scoring leaders, there's no guarantee that tonight's game is going to be a shootout during regulation time. But we wouldn't bet against that either which is why we're not gamblers. Bruce Boudreau is back to playing mad scientist again with the top two lines as he tries to get the offense back on track and end the four game losing streak. However things didn't start to unravel until the defensive pairings were tinkered with and with John "Coach's Pet" Erskine Bowles nursing an injury, the opening night pairings will still be shuffled. But no matter the pairings on the blueline, expecting the Caps to shutdown a team like San Jose maybe expecting a little too much at this point. The Caps will likely simply have to outscore the Sharks to win tonight's game and that's something this team is certainly capable of. We just wonder if the line tinkering will pay off in time.

Caps Nut Official Prediction:

Caps 4
Sharks 6
Winner by Heatley
(2-4 on the season)