The Capitals have moved on from their lopsided loss to the Predators to match up with yet another Western Conference foe in the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche are still very bad and that was true even before they traded away Matt Duchene. The problem is that I’m not exactly sure the Capitals are still good.

Game is at 9PM on NBCSWANTONBOMB, because mountain time is the worst time. Yours truly will have your recap.

Record	8-7-1	10-8-1
Shot Attempt %	45.3%	47.4%
PDO	99.3	101.7
Power Play	20.6%	19.4%
Penalty Kill	78.1%	78.7%

Projected Lines

Morning skate lines from Isabelle at WaPo. Taylor Chorney gets in for the injured Christian Djoos. Philipp Grubauer gets the net. Jakub Vrana scratched in favor of Nathan Walker.

Stephenson – Backstrom – Oshie
Ovechkin – Kuznetsov – DSP
Connolly – Eller – Wilson
Walker – Beagle – Chiasson

Orlov – Niskanen
Orpik – Bowey
Carlson – Chorney

Grubauer

Mountain time

A 9PM start is worse than a 10PM start right? I feel like with a 10PM start I can just commit to staying up late that night, but with a 9PM start that extra free hour revs up the bedtime shuffle in my brain. What say you commenters?

Storylines

• Ian was interviewed by a New York Times reporter for a story about Alex Ovechkin‘s involvement with “Putin’s Team”.
• Ovi still seems to be quite good pals with former teammate and fellow Russian, Semyon Varlamov.
• Jonathan Toews is selling toasters that burn his name onto every piece of toast that they make all in the name of charity.
• This could be the worst breakaway attempt of all-time.
• Our old pal Troy Brouwer was involved in a good old fashioned donnybrook.
• The Arziona Coyotes have become the first team in NHL history without a win in regulation through the first 20 games of the season.
• Christian Djoos is ailing from an “upper-body injury” and will miss tonight’s game.
• Connor Hobbs‘ mom sounds like a really cool mom.

The only Star Wars Battlefront II that matters

That is all.

Full Coverage of Caps at Avalanche

Headline photo: Nathan MacKinnon