Tonight’s Lineups
Here’s what we were given by the respective teams for tonight’s preseason tilt between the Capitals and Tampa Bay at 7:30:
WASHINGTON
Forwards
19-Backstrom, 92-Nylander, 28-Semin
56-Bourque, 57-Wilson, 43-Fleischmann
50-Motzko, 16-Sutherby, 10-Bradley
87-Brashear, 39-Steckel, 27-Clymer
Defensemen
78-Boumedienne, 23-Jurcina
4-Erskine, 52-Green
55-Schultz, 9-Pollock
Goaltenders
1-Johnson, 35-Cassivi
TAMPA BAY
Forwards
20-Prospal, 4-Lecavalier, 26-St. Louis
17-Hlavac, 24-Karlsson, 16-Ward
21-Darche, 34-Craig, 46-Wanvig
36-Roy, 29-MacDonald, 74-Tarnasky
Defensemen
54-Ranger, 22-Boyle
37-Lukowich, 32-Smaby
2-Jancevski, 3-Janik
Goaltenders
31-Ramo, 40-Holmqvist
EDIT: The Lightning has scratched #34 Ryan Craig in favor of #14 Norm Milley. Not sure how this will affect the line combos.
September 22, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Would you mind explaining what Hanlon was pointing out with this statement? Is he referring to the other teams ability to gain control of the puck by forechecking at even strength and create shots/goals? Thanks
“We played great. I have no complaints whatsoever with [Thursday] night’s hockey game. We lost that game because of penalties and because we were in a controlled situation twice – once 4-on-4 and once 5-on-5. We don’t want them to set up behind the net but they did. We practiced that and we practiced that. Some things are read and react, and that’s a hard read. But this, we know where everybody is supposed to be and our players weren’t there. So it ended up costing us a goal, and you cannot have a goal scored on a controlled forecheck, it’s just not acceptable.”
September 22, 2007 at 9:09 pm
No Klepis, no Eminger…my guess is neither of these young men are long for the Caps organization….
September 22, 2007 at 9:19 pm
nva,
He was referring to the two goals OTT scored — one 4-on-4 and the other 5-on-5 — after setting up behind the net. Those plays started with forechecks, but goals were scored on missed assignments with players setting up behind the net.
Steve,
Only 18 sweaters available for skaters. This is only the third game, and only three guys — Flash, Backstrom and Green — have played in all three. Eminger was not pronounced fit for action until y-day, and by that time the roster for tonight had already been set. I think you’ll see him sometime this week, and probably Klepis too. The rest is up to them.
September 22, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Should we read anything into Kyle Wilson getting a second line shot, or is he just a guy who can give Kozlov a night off until we get deeper in preseason?
Players to watch tonight, in my view: Bourque, Wilson, Motzko, Steckel, and all the defensemen except Jurcina.
Also, is Cassivi or Johnson expected to start and will they be splitting time? I know Johnson got some time in the Carolina game, so I was wondering if they’d give Freddy some time.
September 22, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Kazer,
This is what you can read into Wilson being in the lineup tonight: Plenty of guys got camp invites, and plenty of those guys were reassigned without seeing preseason action. This is Wilson’s second time playing in three games. So he has impressed and they want to see what he can do. And Hanlon would never tell you that Wilson is centering the “second line.” That’s just the order I listed them in.
Vets whose jobs are secure won’t play in as many preseason games as guys who are fighting for jobs. Johnson will start, and Cassivi might get the final period.