Playoff Chase

Shortly, the Caps will be taking the ice to play the Panthers in yet another critical game in the playoff chase. However, it's hard not to feel that the playoffs are slowly and painfully slipping away from the Caps. Boston shut out Ottawa 4-0 earlier today to pull four points ahead of the Caps with four games remaining. Boston starts a three game road trip tomorrow in Buffalo and follows with games in New Jersey and Ottawa before concluding the season at home against Buffalo. In an earlier post, I suggested that the Caps would need to reach the 92 point mark to reach the playoffs. It seems they will need to get to 94 points to have a chance. To get to 94 points the Caps need to win out. After tonight's game the Caps finish the season at home with games against Carolina, Tampa Bay and Florida.

Carolina is also four points ahead of the Caps and plays on the road tonight against Tampa Bay after crushing Atlanta 7-1 last night. After tonight's game, the Carolina faces the Caps on the road and then finishes the season at home against Tampa Bay and Florida. With the way Carolina is playing, especially Eric Staal and Cam Ward, I would be surprised if they lost more than one game of the four games remaining. I think it's fair to hand the Division banner to Carolina at this point.

The Caps best chance may be catching the Flyers as they are only three points ahead of the Caps. The Flyers also have four games remaining with the next two on the road against the Islanders and Pittsburgh before finishing the season at home against the Devils and Penguins. As much as it will bother me, I will have to root for the Penguins for a little help. The Islanders seem to have already packed it in, so I do not expect any help tonight.

I really hope that the game in which the Caps basically self imploded (they did have some help from some awful officiating) at the end of the third period against the Bruins a few weeks ago does not end up being the difference between the team playing hockey or golf in early April. Of course one game does not make the critical difference in a season long journey but that one result is simply hard to swallow.

For any fans of the Caps out there, let's root for Pittsburgh, New Jersey, Buffalo, Ottawa, the Islanders and whomever the Hurricanes are facing. The last couple of weeks have been a bit of a roller coaster ride but let's hope when the ride comes to a stop we will get to go on the next ride that is the playoffs.