RED ALERT: Caps target Ryan Miller tonight

The Washington Capitals come home for the Holidays, facing three Eastern Conference teams in the friendly confines of the Verizon Center.   Caps face off tonight against Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres, then Saturday against red hot New jersey Devils.

Last time the Sabres and Caps met up, Miller perplexed the Caps and won 3-0.  Caps will look to solved the NHL’s leading goal tender tonight.  Miller has posted a 21-7-2 record with a league leading 1.89 GAA and a league leading save percentage of .938.  It won’t be easy, considering they failed to net even one goal last time, but my gut tells me, the Caps will be ready tonight.  The Caps are currently 10-2-3 at home.

More on the return home from the Examiner.

CAPS INJURY NEWS . . . Injury wise, Shaone Morrisonn will reenter the lineup tonight after missing last game.   Boyd Gordon is getting closer and is destined for a conditioning stint, possibly this weekend, in Hershey.  Semyon Varlamov is nearing a return, but don’t expect him tonight.  Varly will likely make his first return start post-Christmas on the road.

More on Varlamov.

Who’s HOT and Whos’ NOT . . .  The ones you expect to be hot, are hot.  Nicklas Backstrom has 4 goals in his last 3 games.  Alex Ovechkin has 3 goals and 6 assists in his last 6 games.  Tomas Fleischmann has 7 goals in his last 9 games.  So who isn’t? Eric Fehr has a 6 game goal-less streak.  Brooks Laich has not scored a goal in 7 games and has just 1 goal in his last 14 games.   Brendan Morisonn has not scored a goal in 8 games.  Tyler Sloan has just 1 point in his last 14 games.

Read it all at

http://dcprosportsreport.com/2009/12/23/red-alert-caps-target-ryan-miller-tonight.html