Wayne Simmons, Donald Brashear, Willie O'Ree...Nicklas Backstrom?!

No comment on this story, just confusion from the LA Kings website:

Kings forward Wayne Simmonds will join the Capitals’ Donald Brashear and Nicklas Backstrom as well as Willie O'Ree, the NHL's first black player, in visiting the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club. Located in Southeast Washington D.C., it is the nation’s oldest minority youth hockey program. The event coincides with Hockey is for Everyone Month, the NHL’s diversity initiative.

"I always want to give back and I think it’s a good thing that we’re doing it," Simmonds said. "It’s always good to support the cause and help out the little kids."

Pre-Game: Capitals vs Kings

Heading into the 53rd game last season, Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals had just defeated the Canadiens in overtime in one of the most exciting game of the season. Ovechkin had 18 points in his last nine games, heading into a home match against the Atlanta Thrashers. Even without Ilya Kovalchuk, the Thrashers still shutout the Caps 2-0 for Washington's only home shutout loss.

This year, the Capitals welcome the LA Kings, winners of four of their last five. Like the Thrashers of last year, the Kings are .500 at the time they will face the Capitals...and also have as many points as games played (just like the Thrashers did last season). Similarities aside, the Kings are a hot team that Washington should not take lightly at home (i.e. Edmonton, Columbus).

If the Caps want revenge for their 5-2 loss in the City of Angels, they will have to do it without Viktor Kozlov. Tarik is also reporting that Eric Fehr will skate on the first line with Fedorov and Ovechkin. Fehr likes to shoot and Ovi only had one shot last game (after recording at least four in every January game), so it will be interesting to see if how the group will click.

Sorry for the short post, I have a psychology paper due in a few hours, but please enjoy this "old" video of our opponents:

Nashville Predators Commercial featuring Taylor Swift

This commercial aired during the Super Bowl in the Nashville area, and I finally found the video on The Forechecker:

I saw Taylor at Nissan Pavillion this past summer...and the summer before that and she's great live.

Post-Game: Capitals @ Devils

My afternoon nap lasted three hours longer than I expected and that cut into the 1st period, but never-the-less, the Caps win again and here we go:

• Is it just me or do opposing teams get at least one quality scoring chance while penalty killing? 3/4 is the way it should be great on the power play, but the Caps need to eliminate ALL short-handed opportunties.
• "Mr. Circles" had his first two goal game in over a year (and was named the 1st star of the game). Had Koz not gone down, would he still get three minutes of power play time? Another groin injury? Oh boy.
• With only 18:29 TOI, Alex Ovechkin ended his streak of 20 straight games of 20 minutes or more. February is Ovechkin's lowest point to game ratio (33 to 30).
• Could a 'D' man win the MVP? We might have to be asking ourselves if Greener keeps it up. He's tearing it up with four goals in as many games.

Next up is Anze Kopitar and the Los Angeles Kings.

Pre-Game: Capitals @ Devils

After exploding for 11 goals over the weekend, the Caps head to Jersey to face the 5th best team in goals allowed. Washington is 9-1-2 against the Atlantic Division, but just 1-1-1 against the Devils. With a win, the Capitals can pull within 10 points of the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins, and with a loss, New Jersey can jump Washington in the standings for second place.

With Chris Clark (most likely) out for the season with wrist surgery, the Caps will need increased performances from Eric Fehr and David Steckel. The healthy scratch will probably be Michael Nylander Matt Bradley.

The injury bug seems to cling on to Brent Johnson as well, which forces Michal Neuvirth to be called-up from Hershey. Jose Theodore has just five wins in 19 games against New Jersey and allowed five goals on 33 shots in his last outing against the Devils.

Earlier in the season, the Devils were the only team in the Eastern Conference that Alex Ovechkin had not recorded a multi-point game against...that ended November 14th, and I predict big numbers for the Great 8 in tonight's crucial game.