Pre-game Notes

The Washington Capitals will square off with the Phoenix Coyotes in little more then an hour, so let's get you caught up on all the pre-game news and notes.

Mike Green and John Erskine will return to the line-up tonight. Erksine has missed the last six games since being injured in the Capitals 8-1 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers January 9th, while Green missed Thursday's victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

I have not heard an official announcement, but I wouldn't be surprised if Michael Neuvirth got the start in goal tonight for the Capitals. Neuvirth has not played since being pulled in the second period of the Capitals 5-4 shootout victory over the Florida Panthers on January 13.

Here are five more notes you can't do without before tonight's game:

Home run –Washington returns home Saturday night to Verizon Center, where the Capitals are 17-3-3 on the season and have won five in a row, matching their season-long home winning streak. The Capitals are 10-1-0 in their last 11 home games and their three regulation losses at home are the fewest in the NHL. Washington has sold out all 23 home games this year and a club-record 30 in a row dating back to last season.
FIVE MORE NOTES NO MEDIA PERSON SHOULD BE WITHOUT
Going streaking –The Capitals enter Saturday’s game with a five-game winning streak, tied for the longest active streak in the league. A win would give the Capitals their third six-game win streak of the season; San Jose, with two six-game winning streaks, is the only other team with more than one.
Historic Ovi –Alex Ovechkin scored his 250th and 251st goals Thursday night, joining Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy and Mario Lemieux as the only players with 250 goals in their first five seasons. Ovechkin has points in eight straight games with five multiple-point games in that time (6g-12a, +11 total). Ovechkin has 38 points (15g-23a) in 21 games since returning from suspension and leads the league in goals per game, points per game, plus/minus and shots on goal (tied).
Never say die –For the third game in a row Thursday the Capitals won despite allowing the first goal. They are now 11-6-2 when allowing the first goal, the only team with a winning record in that situation. The Caps also have the league’s best winning percentage when trailing after the first period (4-5-0, .444).
Full 60 –Jose Theodore has won five straight games for the Capitals while posting a 1.96 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage. Theodore is one win shy of his best winning streak as a Capital, a six-game stretch from 12/23/08 –1/6/09.
Special stuff –In each of the last two games –facing the two Stanley Cup finalists from last season –the Capitals scored a power-play goal and did not allow one. On the year the Capitals:
- lead the league with a 25.9% power play this season. They are 10-for-20 (50%) in the last seven games.
- are 19-1-3 when they do not allow a power-play goal (13-0-1 they also score a PPG of their own).