What I meant was to look at Boston as a possible play for today.
I think this is the Caps 7th or 8th game in 12 days or something like that. These guys are tired and it really showed in the 3rd the other night. The early start today does not help. I sorta disagree with you that Jagr has been a joke, but that is a whole other issue to get into. Slump, yes, absolutely.
Anyway, he is really banged up after the Leafs game. He took a knee to knee in that one in the 3rd and there was what I thought was a questionable hit into the open TOR bench door (which was closed, then reopened right before the hit). That carried over to the Sens game and he eventually left that game. He is a game time decision, but I doubt he'll play.
Kolzig will play, and after Green and Kiwi's decent games on Sat (all things considered
) they are likely to play today too. Alex Henry will likely play if Jagr does not today, but certainly not on the 1st line. Bondra might move up to that line from what I have read. Zubrus is also out with a concussion from the Leafs game.
Part of the Caps problems the last few games is that the 3rd line of Kono, Halpern and Grier is not playing as well as they were and not creating many chances. Grier has struggled a bit of late and I think is a -6 over the last 3 games. I had mentioned early in the week about the team getting away from a grinding style and thinking they could play a up and down type game like the did vs. FLA all the time. That has really disrupted the defensive play that was coming into form the last 2-3 weeks. After seeing Boston the other night with Thornton back, I'd look at them closely today. I notice that the game is off the board as of now though.
More specifics on Jagr...
Jagr, Washington's top scorer and the NHL's highest-paid player, was slammed hard into the boards Friday night and collided dangerously with the open door on Toronto's bench. He also twisted awkwardly in a knee-to-knee collision in that game. Jagr said he felt stiff throughout Saturday's game and did not want to risk aggravating the injury, so he left the game and received treatment, which continued this afternoon.
"I think something happened [Friday night] when I got hit," Jagr said. "I don't know, but my whole right side, it kind of was moved -- my shoulder and my back feel stiff."
Jagr said he felt a twist in his thigh when he was battling massive defenseman Zdeno Chara for the puck Saturday night and could not make a quick move to break away. Jagr was able to walk freely today but could not determine the extent of the injury; Washington was off today and there is no morning skate before Monday's 1 p.m. faceoff, so he will assess the situation when he wakes up.
"It will be a game-time decision," Coach Bruce Cassidy said.
