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Capitals return home, face Thrashers

Nov 26, 2008 - 11:15 AM Atlanta (8-10-2) at Washington (11-7-3) 7:00 p.m. EST

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Limping back to Washington after a tough road trip, the Capitals hope home ice will provide better results.

Improved goaltending is a good place to start when they look to avenge a season-opening loss to the Atlanta Thrashers on Wednesday.

In its recent five-game road swing, Washington managed just three points (1-3-1) while allowing 26 goals. After losing, 6-5, in a shootout to New Jersey and defeating Anaheim, 6-4, the Capitals dropped three straight by a combined score of 16-7.

The skid, which follows a five-game winning streak, can be placed mainly on the shoulders of goaltenders Jose Theodore and Brent Johnson.

Theodore has allowed four goals or more in each of his last three starts while Johnson allowed seven goals in a loss San Jose.

Alex Ovechkin scored a goal in Monday's 4-3 loss to Minnesota to extend his point-scoring streak to eight games while Alexander Semin has been out of action with a back injury.

Atlanta halted its own three-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over Toronto on Tuesday. Todd White scored a pair of goals and Slava Kozlov took over the team-lead with 19 points thanks to a pair of assists.

Bryan Little collected two goals and an assist in the Thrashers' win 7-4 over the Capitals to open the campaign on October 10.