[NHL.com Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview - Official Gameday Thread]

Didn't the Caps just play these guys? Yup. You know what that means, don't you? I get to be lazy and rehash my preview and recap from that game (and while I'm at it, I might as well rehash my Sheldon Souray Jersey Night idea). Killer.

So what's changed in a week (other than the Caps positioning in the Eastern Conference standings)? Not much. The Caps are a bit healthier, and perhaps The Donald will be a little better behaved (Aaron Downey sure hopes so), but everything keeps coming back to three main points: the need for better special teams, a 60-minute effort (especially a strong start), and better success in the faceoff circle. If the Caps fail in any of these three areas, that five-game losing streak will become six games real fast.

Google Search of the Day:

• I'm often amused at how people stumble upon The Rink. I get a ton of Lindsay Czarniak searches, some fairly bizarre searches (btw, nice hockey blogosphere roll call on that one), and some damn funny ones (NSFW... at all, though the second item in the search results is an absolute riot). I figured I'd start sharing them with y'all from time to time, and today's is certainly a gem.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

• Semen Varlamov and his Rooskie mates get to take on Canada for the gold at the World Juniors. Nick Bäckström and the Swedes will play the Yanks for bronze.
• Vogs has a nice piece on Eric Fehr and C-Bo up at Caps.com.
• Newsflash: the Caps' attendance bites but will be cured by winning more games.
  

Daily Awards

• Hart: Dany Heatley (3G, including game-winner, A, +2, 6 SOG, 3 takeaways, 2 giveaways, 1 hit, 1 blocked shot)
  
• Ross: Dany Heatley (4 points)
  
• Norris: Lubomir Visnovsky (G, A, +1, 2 SOG)
  
• Vezina: Roberto Luongo (W, 39 saves on 40 shots against through OT and four saves on five shots against in the shootout)
  
• Richard: Dany Heatley (3G)
  
• Calder: Loui Eriksson (G, +1, 2 SOG in 2-1 shootout loss)
  
• Aiken: Ryan Miller (L, 6 goals allowed on 36 shots against)