You may have already noticed it on the site (slot 2 of our top story rotator), but CanesVision Online will be shadowing John Forslund throughout the day to see how he prepares for a game on the road.

Paul Branecky

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The first two videos in the series are up now, and more will be posted throughout the day/night.  Keep checking that spot to see when a new installment is up.  John has already provided a few injury and lineup updates for tonight’s game, so make sure you stay tuned for more.

Big game tonight – with Washington arguably the Canes’ biggest threat in the Southeast Division, the two points mean a little bit more when these two teams play each other.  See last season for details.

Backup goaltender Brent Johnson will make his second start in as many games against Carolina tonight.  He was the main reason the Caps got a point in Ottawa on Tuesday, as he got his team to overtime despite being outshot 44-27.  Washington coach Bruce Boudreau insists there isn’t a goaltending controversy between Johnson and offseason acquisition Jose Theodore, even though Johnson’s numbers (.914, 2.47) are much better than Theodore’s so far (.877, 3.44).

Instead, he’s making it pretty clear he’ll go with whoever happens to be playing better at the time.

”If Brent goes in and is crappy, then obviously I’m going to use [Theodore} Saturday against the Rangers,” Boudreau told the Washington Times.

Nice.

Alex Ovechkin is back from visiting his sick grandfather in Russia and hopes he can focus more on hockey now after his slow start.  With five points through nine games and a seven-game goal drought, he’s not even the highest-scoring Alex on his team right now.  That honor goes to Mr. Semin, who has 17 points through 11 contests.

Even when he’s not on a tear like he is right now, Semin is usually a Canes killer – he has a seven-game point streak against Carolina heading into tonight.