The Caps are getting ready for tonight's game against - the defending Stanley Cup Champions - the Boston Bruins, missing Alex Ovechkin due to suspension. Nicklas Backstrom returned to the ice for a brief skate before practice as he’s been out with a head injury, but is unlikely to play. Also Mike Green is out due to an abdominal surgery, which means that this will be the first time all three have been out at the same time since being in the NHL.

Team records: Bruins (31-13-2) at Capitals (25-19-3)
Date/Time: Tuesday, January 24th, 2012, 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Verizon Center, Washington
Broadcast: NESN, CSW

Game Odds:

Boston Bruins: -1.5
Washington Capitals:  +1.5
Total:  5.5, O/U -123

After the road trip that ended in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Penguins on Sunday the Washington Capitals returned to Kettler Capitals Iceplex on Monday. Now the Caps prepare for their first of four meetings against the defending champion tonight at the Verizon Center.

Washington's forward lines had a new look once again with the most notable difference being the first line, which consisted of four players: Alex Ovechkin, Mathieu Perreault, Alexander Semin and Marcus Johansson.

Ovechkin - Johansson - Perreault - Semin
Matt Hendricks - Brooks Laich - Troy Brouwer
Jason Chimera - Jeff Halpern - Mike Knuble
Jay Beagle - Cody Eakin - Joel Ward

Johansson missed Sunday's game with an illness, but fully practiced Monday. Perhaps a top line of Perreault, Johansson and Semin is a "Plan B" of sorts now that a decision to suspend Ovechkin for 3 games starting tonight for his hit on Zbynek Michalek Sunday was made. Boston also had its share of bans lately, with Brad Marchand having finished a five-game suspension and Andrew Ference in the midst of a three-gamer.

Those could be among the reasons coach Claude Julien's team is just 3-2-1 to begin a stretch of seven games - six on the road - in 11 days leading up to All-Star weekend. The Bruins had been 25-4-1 in their previous 30.

NHL Betting Trends:

Washington Trends

Capitals are 5-1 in their last 6 vs. Northeast. 83.33 %
Capitals are 5-1 in their last 6 games as a favorite of -151 to -200. 83.33 %
Capitals are 4-1 in their last 5 games as a favorite of -110 to -150. 80.00 %
Capitals are 4-1 in their last 5 games as a home underdog. 80.00 %
Capitals are 7-2 in their last 9 when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game. 77.78 %

Boston Trends

Bruins are 8-1 in their last 9 games as a road favorite of -110 to -150. 88.89 %
Bruins are 4-1 in their last 5 games as a favorite of -110 to -150. 80.00 %
Bruins are 15-4 in their last 19 games as a road favorite of -151 to -200. 78.95 %
Bruins are 14-4 in their last 18 road games. 77.78 %
Bruins are 14-4 in their last 18 games as a road favorite. 77.78 %

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