Washington Capitals

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Alexander Semin (28) of the Washington Capitals gets a penalty for tripping Aaron Johnson (5) of the Columbus Blue Jackets in preseason hockey in the second period at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC, Monday, September 26, 2011. (Andrew Harnik / The Washington Times)

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Aaron Johnson (5) of the Columbus Blue Jackets lays out and breaks up a play on goal against Jeff Halpern (15) of the Washington Capitals in the first period in preseason hockey at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC, Monday, September 26, 2011. (Andrew Harnik / The Washington Times)

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Matt Hendricks (26) of the Washington Capitals fights for the puck Ryan Johansen (36) with of the Columbus Blue Jackets in preseason hockey in the first period at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC, Monday, September 26, 2011. (Andrew Harnik / The Washington Times)

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Washington Capitals' Cody Eakin (50) and Chris Bourque (56) celebrate Eakin's goal on Columbus Blue Jackets' Curtis Sanford (30) in the first period at Verizon Center on Monday, Sept. 26, 2011. The Caps won the preseason game 3-1. (Andrew Harnik / The Washington Times)

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After sending Christian Hanson and Ryan Potulny down to the AHL, Washington Capitals' Cody Eakin is among four candidates fighting for the third-line center job. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Washington Capitals' Mike Knuble is a healthy scratch for the first time in his three years in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Alex Ovechkin (8) of the Washington Capitals argues a call with a referee in the final seconds of the Washington Capitals loss to the Nashville Predators, 2-0, in a preseason exhibition game at the 1st Mariner Arena, Baltimore, MD, Tuesday, September 20, 2011. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Baltimore Sun videographer Kevin Richardson grabs a puck out of play and refuses to give it to a fan in the third period of the Washington Capitals' 2-0 loss to the Nashville Predators in a preseason exhibition game at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore on Sept. 20, 2011. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Goalie Michal Neuvirth (30) and Patrick Wellar (41) of the Washington Capitals sit dejected as Colin Wilson(33) and Niclas Bergfors (18) of the Nashville Predators celebrate Wilson's goal in the third period in the Washington Capitals loss to the Nashville Predators, 2-0, in a preseason exhibition game. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Alex Ovechkin (8) of the Washington Capitals slams Ryan Ellis (49) of the Nashville Predators into the wall in the second period of the Washington Capitals loss to the Nashville Predators, 2-0, in a preseason exhibition game at the 1st Mariner Arena, Baltimore, MD, Tuesday, September 20, 2011. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Washington Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth (30) watches the puck go by him during a preseason loss to the Nashville Predators at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore on Sept. 20, 2011. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Jay Beagle (83) of the Washington Capitals and Zack Stortini (21) of the Nashville Predators fight each other for the puck in the second period of the Washington Capitals loss to the Nashville Predators, 2-0, in a preseason exhibition game at the 1st Mariner Arena, Baltimore, MD, Tuesday, September, Sept. 20, 2012. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Patrick Wellar (41) of the Washington Capitals sandwiches Zack Stortini (21) of the Nashville Predators against the wall in the second period of the Washington Capitals loss to the Nashville Predators, 2-0, in a preseason exhibition game at the 1st Mariner Arena, Baltimore, MD, Tuesday, September 20, 2011. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Zach Miskovic (68) of the Washington Capitals and Taylor Beck (56) of the Nashville Predators crash into the wall in the second period of the Washington Capitals loss to the Nashville Predators, 2-0, in a preseason exhibition game at the 1st Mariner Arena, Baltimore, MD, Tuesday, September 20, 2011. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Goalie Michal Neuvirth (30) of the Washington Capitals chases after a loose puck in the second period of the Washington Capitals loss to the Nashville Predators, 2-0, in a preseason exhibition game at the 1st Mariner Arena, Baltimore, MD, Tuesday, September 20, 2011. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Chris Bourque (56) of the Washington Capitals fights for the puck with Craig Smith (15) of the Nashville Predators in the first period of the Washington Capitals loss to the Nashville Predators, 2-0, in a preseason exhibition game at the 1st Mariner Arena, Baltimore, MD, Tuesday, September 20, 2011. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin, left, of Russia, battles for the puck against Nashville Predators' Teemu Laakso, center, of Finland, and Chris Mueller, right, during the second period of an NHL preseason hockey game, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)