Caps Try for Rare Win in San Jose

The Caps visit the San Jose Sharks tonight (10 p.m., CSN) in a game that matches two of the best teams in the league. Both have surpassed the 50-point mark (there are eight teams who have accomplished that) and are the top two goal-scoring teams in the NHL.

The problem for the Caps, though, is that they have trouble beating the Sharks in California --  having lost six in a row in the Golden State and 0-8-1-0 in their last nine visits. They haven't won in San Jose since posting victories in each of their first three visits -- most recently on Oct. 30, 1993, when current coaches Arturs Irbe and Dean Evason were playing for San Jose.

The teams already have faced each other this season, a 4-1 Caps win on Oct. 12 that they dominated. The victory snapped the Caps' 11-game losing streak to the Sharks.

The important thing tonight for the Caps is to avoid getting in a high-scoring affair. Yes, the Caps have a more potent offense than the Sharks (arguably), but it's not an effective way of beating San Jose -- who have won five in a row after ending a five-game losing streak. I expect Michal Neuvirth to be in net tonight.

Notes:
* Our best to Corey Masisak, who has reportedly been taken off the Caps' beat by the Washington Times and may not be employed there much longer because the paper may be removing its sports section on the way to a slow and painful disappearance.

* Milan Jurcina and Chris Clark made their debut for the Columbus Blue Jackets last night and it just looks weird.