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Huet, Capitals face red-hot Devils

Feb 29, 2008 - 11:15 AM Washington (29-27-8) at New Jersey (37-21-6) 7:00 pm EST

NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) - Newly acquired goaltender Cristobal Huet is expected to start for the Washington Capitals on Friday against the New Jersey Devils.

Currently five points behind the first-place Carolina Hurricanes in the Southeast Division, the Capitals pulled off the most unexpected swap at the trade deadline when they acquired Huet from the Canadiens.

"We traded for a No. 1 goalie from Montreal. Now we've got two No. 1 goalies," Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said.

Huet joins Olaf Kolzig, the Capitals' top goaltender for 10 seasons, and backup Brent Johnson on the Washington roster.

Huet stopped 10 shots in Montreal's 4-3 victory over the Devils on January 24. Kolzig made 34 stops in a 4-1 win over Minnesota on Tuesday that ended the Capitals' three-game losing streak.

The Devils have won two of three games against Washington this season and nine of the last 11 in the series. New Jersey is 7-1-1 in its last nine home games, led by three-time Vezina Trophy winner Martin Brodeur.

Brodeur was in goal when the Devils' five-game winning streak ended with a 2-1 overtime loss to Carolina on Tuesday, but is 7-0-2 with a 1.74 goals-against average since February 9. In his last 14 games against the Capitals, Brodeur is 12-1-0 with one tie, one shutout and a 1.84 GAA.