The B’s may have made the playoffs, but their postseason foe has yet to be decided. Could tonight’s game be a preview?
Just the Facts:
- The Time: 7pm EST
- The Place: Capital One Arena, Washington DC
- Place to Watch: NESN, Monument Sports, ESPN+/SportsNet+
- Place to Listen: 98.5 The Sports Hub
- An Opposing Viewpoint: Japers’ Rink
Know Your Enemy:
- Caps have a 36-27-9 Record, good for 81 points, the 2nd Wildcard spot, and 4th in the Metropolitan Division.
- Dylan Strome is only just the leading point-getter for the Caps with 60 in 72 games.
- It took some work on his part, but Alex Ovechkin has once again climbed to the top of the heap on goalscoring for the Caps with 26 in 69 games. Maybe a bit low for his standards, but given how the rest of the team is doing that’s pretty solid. Shockingly, he also happens to be the Caps’ leading goalscorer on the power play with 12.
- The Caps are perfectly mediocre on special teams in equal measure; being 18th in the league in power play and 18th in the league in penalty kill.
- The Caps might genuinely be one of the most inept teams on offense this year; 32nd in the league at 5v5 shots-for per 60 minutes of hockey, and it would not shock you to learn that their possession metrics aren’t exactly anything to write home about as a result; bottom 5 in the league at just about every relevant metric (Shot Attempts, Unblocked Shot Attempts, and Expected Goals.). Crazy to think a team with Ovie on it would be struggling this hard to get goals.
- If there’s anything that’s given the Caps a chance; it’s Charlie Lindgren who has either been miserable or fantastic depending on the game. He’s currently got a .911 SV% in 39 games started and 41 games played.
Game Preview:
Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you’re ready for postseason hockey, because the B’s have their tickets punched!
As for their foe tonight? Like everything in DC; that’s up for debate.
Just about everybody behind the Washington Capitals in the standings seems to be content in blowing every opportunity placed in front of them while the Caps mostly just kinda…tread water. I really can’t sell it any more than this; regardless of playoff hockey’s physicality and general chaos; this Caps team needs Charlie Lindgren to be one of the best possible goaltenders when April comes around, because the alternative is a shorter than even you expect first round for them; they simply do not have the firepower anymore to compensate for other problems in their lineup.
Now, does that mean the Bruins should take it easy? Hell no, that 99 points the B’s have is a good lead, but it’s not unassailable. Florida’s schedule’s slightly easier than Boston’s over the next couple of games, so putting the pedal to the metal here would do them good.
They also have some bigger questions to start answering for themselves; if this Caps team is indeed their opponent for the playoffs; what should the lineup look like? Who should sub out? Is this Carlo thing really going to keep happening? Can they get their depth rolling again in time to face these guys? Can they find a working defense pairing that doesn’t involve Hampus Lindholm or Charlie McAvoy that doesn’t make you want to tear your hair out?
This is a great opportunity to find out. They’ll get another crack at it by the end of the season, but now’s the time to start experimenting while you’re not trying to conserve bodies.
We’ll find out if what Monty’s cooking can stand the test.