Playoff hockey in ......February? That's right my friends, the playoff season starts early for some teams this year, making every game in the last quarter of the season just as important as a win or go home game in the playoffs. For the Washington Capitals, this season has been anything but the coasting ride they have been on the last three seasons.
The past three seasons have seen the capitals walk into the playoffs, winning the southeast division with relative ease, this year however has been anything but easy. we know the story, so there is no sense repeating it. Last night the caps embarked on a 4 game road trip, and three of those games are against division foes, and two are against potential playoff teams. Lets face it, the caps have been terrible on the road this year winning only 9 games, their special teams is brutal and they just cant seem to get anything going when not playing in the phone booth.
This is probably the most important road trip of the season, if they can manage to get 6-8 points on this trip, it will surely help their cause down the stretch. Last night was a good start, great defense and alot of grit and finally getting some shots on net, the caps came out of Florida with a 2-1 victory over the panthers, who as of right now own the southeast division in points by 2. On the strength of some good goal tending again by Tomas Vokoun, the caps get a much needed win to start the road trip, next up, tonight against the Tampa bay lightening, those ever present thorn in the side of the caps. Dale hunter seems to have brought back that back to basic mentality to the caps, gritty defense and getting pucks deep, with any luck the players who need to be great will finally step up this season and be the leaders they are meant to be.
The capitals need to show the league they are not done yet, and get back up and start moving forward, if they get hot now and start finding their identity, this years playoff run could be a good one.
No comments:
Post a Comment