Pre-game Notes

The Washington Capitals play their first home game since Super Bowl Sunday in a little less then an hour as they host the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Three of the four new players acquired at the trade deadline yesterday will suit up and be in the line up tonight for the Capitals.

Here are the expected lines for tonight's contest:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Knuble
Laich-Morrison-Semin
Fleischmann-Belanger-Fehr
Chimera-Gordon-Walker

The 'D' pairs, meantime, will feature three lefties and three righties:
Schultz-Green
Poti-Corvo
Morrisonn-Carlson

NOTE OF THE NIGHT
Home run –Washington, 23-3-3 at home, has a club-record 11 straight wins at Verizon Center as it begins a five-game homestand. The Capitals haven’t lost at home in the new year, since a Dec. 28 loss to Carolina.
Washington has sold out all 29 home games this year and a club-record 36 in a row dating back to last season. The Capitals have the fewest regulation losses at home in the NHL.
FIVE MORE NOTES NO MEDIA PERSON SHOULD BE WITHOUT
Welcome aboard –Thursday’s game could mark the Capitals debut for three players acquired before Wednesday’s NHL trade deadline: Eric Belanger, Joe Corvo and Scott Walker.
90 and climbing –Alex Ovechkin –the only player in the NHL with 90 points each season since the lockout –is one point shy of that mark again this season. He has six more points than any other player (Henrik Sedin, 83, is second). Ovechkin is the only Capital in history with more than two consecutive 90-point seasons.
Green pastures –Mike Green has points in each of the last eight games he has played (3g-8a), including five straight since serving a suspension. He had the game-winning goal last night in Buffalo and leads all NHL defensemen in goals (15), assists (46) and points (61). His +29 rating is second among all NHL defensemen, trailing only teammate Jeff Schultz (+37). Green has joined Sergei Gonchar, Nicklas Lidstrom and Scott Niedermayer as the only defensemen with two 60-point seasons since the 2004-05 work stoppage.
Leading the way –The Capitals are the only team in the NHL with four players with 60-plus points and five players with 20-plus goals. The Capitals and Sharks are the only teams with two 30-goal scorers.
A solid stretch –The Capitals are 18-2-2 since Alex Ovechkin was named team captain Jan. 5 and have scored at least three goals in each of those 22 games.