[Bob 0119]

Today’s Storyline

A friendly rivalry? – There are plenty of good storylines that come up when Washington and Atlanta face each other. The most notable is that opposing head coaches Bruce Boudreau and John Anderson are good friends. Both toiled in the minors for many years before getting their chance to coach an NHL team, but both of them have found success behind the bench. Boudreau has led the Caps to back-to-back Southeast Division championships, and Anderson has the high-octane Thrashers flying out of the gate with a 4-1-1 record this season. Both coaches also have a top talent on the end of their bench that can change the outcome of a game in an instant. Countrymen Alex Ovechkin and Ilya Kovalchuk are two of the best scorers in the league. Ovechkin’s nine goals in eight games pace the NHL, while Kovalchuk is tied for second with seven goals in six games.