Capitals at Hurricanes: Open Thread

  • By Mark Giannotto
Apr 8, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues right wing T.J. Oshie (74) attempts to deflect the puck against the defense of Washington Capitals defenseman Julien Brouillette (59) and goalie Braden Holtby (70)during the second period at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

(Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)

RALEIGH, N.C., — Tonight’s game will be the Washington Capitals’ first regular-season contest without postseason ramifications since a 2-0 home loss to Buffalo on April 7, 2007. It will be equally meaningless for the Carolina Hurricanes, who play their final home game of the year long since guaranteed of missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the eighth time in 10 years. How competitive these two former Southeast Division rivals will be in their fifth and final meeting of the season is anyone’s guess at this point.

Braden Holtby will be in goal for the third-straight game for Washington. The Hurricanes will have Anton Khudobin (18-13-1, 2.14 GAA, .931 save percentage) between the pipes and forward Jiri Tlusty (14 goals, 12 assists) is expected to return to the Carolina lineup after missing the past four games with an upper body injury.

Discuss what takes place on the ice tonight right here. Or just vent about a day unlike any the Capitals’ franchise has experienced since 2007. It’s 73 degrees and sunny here in North Carolina. Who says that’s not hockey weather?

Faceoff: 7 p.m., PNC Arena
TV: CSN | Radio: 106.7 FM

Here is the Capitals’ lineup:

Forwards
Grabovski-Backstrom-Ovechkin
Penner-Johansson-Brouwer
Chimera-Fehr-Ward
Kuznetsov-Beagle-Wilson

Defense
Alzner-Carlson
Orlov-Strachan
Brouillette-Carrick

Goal:  Holtby, Halak.
Scratches: Mike Green (upper-body), Patrick Wey and Jack Hillen (suspected concussions), John Erskine and Aaron Volpatti.
LTIR: Brooks Laich (groin).

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