Caps face Devils without Ovechkin
Brodeur would tie Sawchuk with next SO
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 | 10:06 AM ET
The Associated Press
Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau doesn't want his team playing run-and-gun too much wihout Alex Ovechkin. (Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press)With Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals are one of the most dynamic offensive teams in the NHL.
How they play without him is an open question. Ovechkin has missed just four games over four seasons, but will begin his first significant spell in the sidelines as his teammates visit the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night.
The reigning two-time winner of the Hart and Richard trophies is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered in a 5-4 overtime loss to Columbus on Sunday.
He was off to a torrid start with an NHL-best 14 goals and 23 points when he went down. Ovechkin's prowess has helped Washington to an 8-2-4 start, during which they totalled 52 goals.
Coach Bruce Boudreau now wants his team to tighten defensively as opposed to filling the void left by Ovechkin's departure offensively, which carries more urgency after Washington gave up nine goals in overtime defeats to the New York Islanders and Blue Jackets the last two games.
"We have to buckle down," Boudreau said Monday. "You look at a goal a game he scores. We've got to play better defence. We can't allow four and five goals a game. You have to win 3-1 and 2-1 and, if you get lucky, sometimes make it a 4-2 game. I think we have enough character players who understand what we will have to do without Alex."
Elias practises
Washington has won three straight on the road and gotten at least one point in its last nine overall (6-0-3).
While the Capitals are missing their best forward, the Devils (8-4-0) may get one of their top ones on the ice for the first time this season. Veteran wing Patrik Elias, who has not played since undergoing surgery in September to break up scar tissue in his groin, participated in a full practice Monday.
"The guys did great on their own," Elias told the team's website. "You look at the standings, I think they surprised a lot of people. This team does well no matter what you throw at it."
Elias had three goals and four assists in four games against Washington last season.
Home hard on Devils
The Devils became the fifth team in NHL history to open 7-0 away from home after a 2-1 shootout victory over Tampa Bay on Saturday.
It has been a different story at home, however, where New Jersey has been outscored 16-9 in losing four of five and failed to score more than two goals in any of those games.
Martin Brodeur, who made 18 saves before stopping four shootout attempts Saturday, has dominated the Capitals in recent years. He is 14-2-0 with one tie, one shutout and a 2.00 goals-against average.
His next shutout will tie him with Terry Sawchuk for the all-time lead with 103.
One of New Jersey's road wins came Oct. 12 against Washington, as the Devils rallied from a 2-0 first-period deficit to win 3-2 after Brodeur stopped Ovechkin in the third round of the shootout.
