GDT #46 Caps vs Penguins W 4-1

[Mickstix]

Caps took care of business!! Skins up 10 at the half!! 


Tuesday 9pm. 

[BlackIce]

And the beat goes on.


Caps piling up standings points rapidly.  Now the next challenge -- a tough 5-game Western Conference road trip.  Let's see what happens here.  This is a time where the team could get knocked off its high horse a bit.  I could stomach 2-3, would like 3-2.  Well, I mean, I'd LIKE 5-0, but this train has to slow down a bit at some point. 


We're now into the second half of the season, and arithmetic starts to build up in the Caps' favor.  The Caps have built up their lead over 46 games; if anyone is going to catch them, they are going to have to make up the entire standings gap IN 10 FEWER GAMES.  And every ONE game that the Caps can maintain or build their lead from here on, the teams chasing them have TWO fewer games to make up the difference.  If the Caps maintain their lead through the next game, game 47, then anyone wanting to catch them has to do it in 35 games, or 12 fewer. 

[Mickstix]

Skins Win!!! 45-31 

[alta]

Skins Win!!! 45-31 

while wearing yoga pants


 

[Rey Capalpatine]

Smashing day for Washington sports today!

[Mickstix]

while wearing yoga pants


 

   Thems yoga shorts boy! NFC Championship game yoga shorts!! 

[Beaglefan2]

And the beat goes on.


Caps piling up standings points rapidly.  Now the next challenge -- a tough 5-game Western Conference road trip.  Let's see what happens here.  This is a time where the team could get knocked off its high horse a bit.  I could stomach 2-3, would like 3-2.  Well, I mean, I'd LIKE 5-0, but this train has to slow down a bit at some point. 


We're now into the second half of the season, and arithmetic starts to build up in the Caps' favor.  The Caps have built up their lead over 46 games; if anyone is going to catch them, they are going to have to make up the entire standings gap IN 10 FEWER GAMES.  And every ONE game that the Caps can maintain or build their lead from here on, the teams chasing them have TWO fewer games to make up the difference.  If the Caps maintain their lead through the next game, game 47, then anyone wanting to catch them has to do it in 35 games, or 12 fewer.

Be careful BlackIce, we don't want them winning the Presidents trophy!  That would be the kiss of death!!

[BlackIce]

I was really thinking about the Metro Division and the Conference, Beagle.  Pres. Trophy is another kettle of fish - we've got nothing on the West teams.   


Although there's really no reason to sweat whether or not the Caps win the division.  It gets you home ice advantage the first couple of rounds, but the Caps have basically the same record at home and on the road this season, so it isn't clear that home ice advantage would be worth anything in the playoffs.


An interesting thing about this team is that, at this point, Ovechkin is sort of "just another guy."  We're already starting to see glimpses of what the team will be like without him in the future. 

[Beaglefan2]

Well, I just hope we don't end up playing Ottawa in the first round - they were a good, tough team.

[BlackIce]

I personally don't "hope" for any particular match-up to occur or be avoided.


(1) I don't know who will be on top of their game or not come playoff time.


(2)  Really good teams don't care who their opponent is.  They play who is in front of them, and what happens, happens.