Live from Verizon Center

The Caps are practicing at the Phone Booth today, and at a later time than normal (because of the team holiday party). Michael Nylander is back in the regular forward rotation, so the lines have been shook up a bit. Chris is not out there.\

\ Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kozlov\ Pettinger-Nylander-Semin\ Laing-Steckel-Bradley\ Brashear-Laich-Motzko/Fleischmann\

\ Poti-Jurcina\ Morrisonn-Green\ Schultz-Pothier\ Erksine-Eminger\

\ UPDATE: I talked to Michael Nylander after practice. He said he expects to play tomorrow against Buffalo, and Boudreau concurred. George McPhee declined to comment on the injury. I asked Nylander about Larry Brooks' assertion in today's New York Post that it is a rotator cuff injury, and he shook his head and said, "He thinks he knows everything, but sometimes he doesn't know anything."\

\ Also, Canada named its roster for the WJC today. Mathieu Perreault did not make the cut, but Karl Alzner and Josh Godfrey both did. According to TSN, Alzner will be paired with one of the top prospects in the 2008 draft, Drew Doughty, as Canada's top pairing. Godfrey is expected to skate with Red Wings property Logan Pyett. Just as an example of Canada's crazy depth, wunderkind John Tavares "will likely be rotated among the forward lines and on the power play unit." That must be nice.\

\ -- Corey Masisak