ARLINGTON, Va. - Brooks Orpik is a veteran of three outdoor NHL games and is holding out slim hope he can play in a fourth.The Washington Capitals defenceman is considered a game-time decision for Thursdays Winter Classic after injuring his right knee Monday night in an overtime loss to the New York Islanders. Orpik rode a stationary bike Tuesday and said the knee was feeling a little bit better.Ive hurt the knee before, so this one felt a little bit different, Orpik said. It was a lot more painful than previous injuries, but the other injuries were a lot worse. Hopefully thats a good sign.Washington coach Barry Trotz said Orpik wouldnt be rushed back just to play in the showcase game because hes too important of a player with us to risk anything.Well be cautious. Hes a pretty important part to our team, Trotz said. If were not 100 per cent sure, its not going to happen.Orpik wears a knee brace that Trotz said really saved him.The 34-year-old will have treatment done on the knee to see how it responds.The Capitals have had their top four defencemen — John Carlson, Matt Niskanen, Karl Alzner and Orpik — play in all 36 games this season. If Orpik misses time, Nate Schmidt could replace him in the lineup.Trotz said the Capitals may recall Steve Oleksy from the AHLs Hershey Bears to have a seventh defenceman just in case. Martin Maldonado Jersey . New York (16-9-8) took over first place in the Eastern Conference and has the best record in the league with one game remaining. Houstons five-game unbeaten streak was snapped, and the Dynamo (13-11-9) are sixth in the East with one game remaining. Wade Miley Astros Jersey . -- Isaiah Pead took a stutter step forward, then raced to the left sideline and travelled 60 yards up the field before finally getting tripped up by a leg tackle. https://www.cheapastros.com/1523o-bryan-...sey-astros.html. Messis 75th-minute goal answered some of the criticism the clubs all-time leading scorer had received for his lacklustre performances in the teams recent losses in the league, Champions League and Copa del Rey final. Don Larsen Astros Jersey . A top pitching prospect, one who the ball club is pinning some of its future hopes, takes the spot of a veteran who once was viewed as a future ace but who, to this point, hasnt realized his potential and may never. Carlos Beltran Astros Jersey . There are practical ideas, like this Chewbaca inspired Star Wars jerseys. Star Wars themed jerseys for the Toledo Mud Hens.The Montreal Canadiens strong play came to a halt with a pair of home losses against two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Heading out on the road gives them a solid opportunity to get back on track. Montreal looks to win six in a row away from home for the first time in nearly 33 years when it faces the Columbus Blue Jackets for the first time this season Wednesday night. Listen to all the action LIVE on TSN Radio 690 in Montreal with coverage beginning at 5:30pm et. The Canadiens (26-12-3) concluded a perfect five-game trip with a 4-1 win over Pittsburgh on Jan. 3 while moving to 9-1-0 in their previous 10 overall. Montreal, though, failed to add to that successful stretch when it returned home. It was outshot 36-22 in a 4-2 loss to Atlantic Division-leading Tampa Bay on Jan. 6 and fell 2-1 in overtime in the rematch with the Penguins on Saturday. The Canadiens went scoreless in seven power-play chances over those two games and have converted once in 21 opportunities in the last seven. They allowed three goals in 10 short-handed situations on the short homestand. Montreal ranks near the bottom of the NHL with a 13.7 power-play percentage. There are a couple of issues, center David Desharnais said. First off, were having trouble getting the puck in their zone, and its hard to create scoring chances if you cant get the puck in. But when we do get in, our decision-making isnt great. We pass when we should be shooting, and we shouldnt be throwing away opportunities to get pucks on net like that. The Canadiens 13 road wwins are tied for second most in the league, and theyre looking to win six straight there for the first time since an eight-game run Jan.dddddddddddd. 21-Feb. 21, 1982. Weve played well on the road recently so were excited to get back out there, said right wing Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau, who is expected to return after missing the last three games due to a concussion. I dont think we played poorly at home over the last two games, but we certainly could have played better. Based on our previous road trip, we should expect to play some good hockey in Columbus and in Ottawa (on Thursday). Montreal is 3-1-1 in five all-time visits to Columbus, winning 3-2 in a shootout in the last one Nov. 15, 2013. The Blue Jackets (18-19-3) come in having dropped their last two games by 5-2 scores. Saturdays defeat to the New York Islanders was just Columbus second in regulation in its last nine at home (6-2-1), and another bad period doomed the Blue Jackets. New York scored three times in the second after Columbus gave up four goals in the first in Fridays loss. We became undisciplined in certain areas of the game and it opened up holes and exposed us, coach Todd Richards said. Center Ryan Johansen had a career-best five-game goal streak come to an end, but he registered an assist to give him six goals and six assists during a career high-tying 10-game point streak. Johansen scored the tiebreaking goal with 3:01 remaining in a 3-2 win at Montreal on March 20. Sergei Bobrovsky will get the start in goal for the Blue Jackets. ' ' '