Fresh Troops on the Way to Take on Thrashers

With a number of key Capitals banged up from the recent rough and tumble road trip out West, the club has recalled several players from the AHL affiliate Hershey Bears for tonight's match against the Atlanta Thrashers.

The blue men, despite a not-so-hot record, are not ones to take lightly, especially after they "thrashed" the Toronto Mapleleafs last night in a heated 6 - 3 victory. Ovechkin's pal and fellow countryman Ilya Kovalchuk was especially feisty last night, dropping the gloves with Leaf Ian White. And let us not forget former Penguin Colby Armstrong who also had an especially nasty hit against Toronto in last night's matchup.

No indications yet as to which guys will dress tonight but here's the press release from the Cap's media relations team:

Capitals Recall Karl Alzner, Chris Bourque, Sami Lepisto and Graham Mink from Hershey

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Capitals have recalled defensemen Karl Alzner and Sami Lepisto and forwards Chris Bourque and Graham Mink from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

Alzner, 20, is a 6’2”, 205-pound first-year pro from Burnaby, British Columbia. The former captain of the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League was the Capitals’ first-round choice, fifth overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Alzner is tied for second in the AHL with a +15 rating in 20 games with the Bears and ranks second among Bears defensemen, trailing Lepisto, with nine points (two goals, seven assists). Alzer, who will wear No. 47 with the Capitals, is poised to make his NHL regular-season debut tonight against Atlanta (7 p.m., Comcast SportsNet, Capitals Radio 1500 and 820 AM) after recording two assists and a +3 rating in five preseason games with Washington.

Lepisto, 24, is a 6’1”, 195-pound native of Espoo, Finland, who made his NHL debut last season and played seven games with Washington, recording one assist. Lepisto leads Hershey defensemen and ranks tied for fourth among AHL defensemen with 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) in 20 games. Lepisto also stands tied for fourth in the league with a +14 rating. Lepisto was Washington’s third-round choice, 66th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and wears No. 42 for the Capitals.

Bourque, 22, is a 5’10”, 177-pound native of Boston, Mass., who has played five games with Washington in the past two seasons. Bourque ranks tied for sixth in the AHL with 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 18 games with the Bears. His 16 assists are second-best on the team and tied for fifth in the league. A fourth-year pro, Bourque is coming off back-to-back seasons of 25 or more goals for Hershey. Bourque, who wears No. 56 in Washington and last year became the 23rd son of a Hockey Hall of Famer (Ray) to play in the NHL, ranked third on the Capitals in preseason scoring this season with six points (three goals, three assists) in six games.

Mink, 29, is an eighth-year pro who stands 6’3”, 218 pounds. The Stowe, Vermont, native has played five career NHL games, all with Washington, but none since the 2005-06 season. He is tied for 10th in the AHL in goals (10) and points (21) in 19 games. Mink, No. 38 with Washington, rejoined the Capitals organization as a free agent on July 2, 2008, after spending two seasons playing for the AHL’s Worcester Sharks.