Caps vs. Buffaslugs 12-23-2009 Preview

Washington Capitals (22-14; 50 points) vs. Buffaslugs (22-13; 47 points):
Caps Game #37, Home Game #16, NHL Game #549

Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. 7:07 pm. Washington TV: Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. Radio: WFED 1500-AM. Loserville...er...Buffalo TV: MSG-B. Radio: WWGR 550-AM.  NHL Center Ice: Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, MSG-B feeds.

Tonight, the Caps kickoff a three game homestand (that's right, the Caps are allowed to play games at home) when they host the Buffaslugs for the second and final time this season.  This will be the third meeting overall between the two teams with the home team pitching a shutout in the two previous matchups. Tonight's game will end a run where the two teams met every other Wednesday night as two weeks ago, the Caps were shut out 3-0 in Loserville...er...Buffalo.  Since then, the Buffaslugs have been very busy, cramming seven games in those 13 days.  The Buffaslugs won five of those games but are 2-2 in their last four including Monday night's 3-2 Overtime win in Toronto over the Thug Leafs.

What The Natives Are Saying:

(Com)Post.  Examiner.  Times.  Caps.com.

Neutral Views:

NHL.com.  AP Wire.

Open Source Intelligence:

The Loserville...er...Buffalo News: slip-slidin'-away, day of rest.

What Do We Expect Tonight?:

Well folks, we've seen this story before haven't we?  In the last game before a holiday break, the Caps are hosting the Buffaslugs so we wonder which officiating crew itching to get home for the holidays are assigned to breeze through tonight's game. The big key we see for the Caps tonight is to get a goal early on Ryan Miller.  After being shutout in the previous game, the longer the Caps allow him to keep them off the scoreboard, the harder it will become for the Caps to score on him.  Luckily for the Caps they've had a few days off since the end of their West Coast trip but don't be too surprised if they come out a bit sluggish at the start of tonight's game as East Coast teams usually do in their first home game after a West Coast trip.  Add in our historical troubles against the Buffaslugs and this could very well continue our win-lose run which we've been doing over the past seven games.

Caps Nut Official Prediction:

Caps 1
Buffaslugs 3
Winner by Vanek
(19-17 on the season with one perfect game)