Friday Notes and Injuries...

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from wash paper...
Defenseman Sergei Gonchar, who missed Wednesday's 5-2 loss with an undisclosed injury, did take the ice for what amounted to a loose pick-up hockey game yesterday and said he plans to play tonight, though Wilson said it will be a game-time decision. Should Gonchar return, veteran Joe Reekie, who contributed heavily to Buffalo's two quick goals Wednesday night, would likely be scratched for the sixth time in seven games.
The Capitals are 9-3-1-0 when they score at least three goals and are 0-10-2-0 when they score fewer than three goals

anaheim info..
Matt Cullen will center the first line and German Titov will center the second line tonight. Samuel Pahlsson moves to the third line.

avs news
When the Colorado Avalanche boarded a charter flight Thursday to begin an important weekend trip through Vancouver, British Columbia, and Calgary, Alberta, Rob Blake was not on the passenger list.
The groin injury that knocked Blake out of the game Tuesday against Florida will keep him on the sideline until at least Monday, when the Avs play Ottawa at the Pepsi Center. Veteran defenseman Todd Gill was activated Thursday and will take Blake's place in the lineup tonight against the Vancouver Canucks at General Motors Place.

 

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devs notes...
After the Devils' shocking 6-0 loss to the Penguins on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh, Wednesday's practice figured to be long and hard. Instead, the ice surface at the team's practice rink at South Mountain Arena remained pristine.
Rather than punish his players with a two-hour session of heavy skating, coach Larry Robinson kept the players off the ice and conducted a team meeting.

"I thought about (punishing them)," Robinson said, "but is it going to do any good?"
Robinson said he was disappointed, not angry, with the Devils for their performance Tuesday and for the .500 record (9-9-2-2) that has them at the bottom of the Atlantic Division.
Robinson already has shaken up the "A" line of Patrik Elias, Jason Arnott and Petr Sykora, so the attention-grabbing moves available to him are few. At the meeting, the coach said he spoke a little, and then let the players take turns speaking their minds.
We're just trying to find reasons and find solutions," said Scott Stevens. "Everyone had lots to say. Hopefully, it'll make us get better."
But the Devils have held meetings before and not gotten significant results. Center Bobby Holik, the team's most outspoken player, was not optimistic that anything positive will come out of yesterday's session.
"I think what's going to do more for this team is if every one of us -- instead of coming up with our thoughts -- puts in more effort on the ice," he said. "I mean, communication's great, but sometimes you can communicate and forget what you have to do.
"So, talk less and work more."

His Devils in the dumpster, GM Lou Lamoriello yesterday declared Larry Robinson "safe" and said the players must climb out on each other's shoulders rather than wait for trade help.
His two-time Stanley Cup finalists open a telling home-and-home with the Red Wings here in Detroit tonight and play host to those league-leaders tomorrow, with Robinson expected to reunite the A-Line. New Jersey has won once in nine (1-5-2-1), its second slump of this young season
It was back on Jan. 1, 1993, that the Devils suffered a defeat worse than their 6-0 collapse in Pittsburgh Tuesday. It was after a 5-0 loss to Carolina, leaving the Eastern Conference leading Devils 2-5-3 in 10, that Robbie Ftorek was fired March 22, 2000, and replaced by Robinson. But Lamoriello angrily denied any similar thoughts.
Team was to practice here(Detroit) yesterday, but travel difficulties forced them to skate in New Jersey