Caps vs. Canes 3-9-2007 Wrap Up/ Caps @ Islanders 3-10-2007 Preview

The Local Yokels:

(Com)Post. Times: Caps leveled, Caps report. Caps.com.

The Neutral Observers:

NHL.com AP Wire.

The Other Side:

Raleigh News & Observer: Team effort, the right call.

Final Thoughts:

Well if there is a bright spot from last night's game, it is that we will no longer have to suffer through another John Erskine Bowles performance this season. In fairness to Erskine Bowles, he was playing a pretty good game until his moment of stupidity kicked in and he ended up hurting himself. Anyway though, 68 down, 14 to go.


Washington Capitals (24-44; 60 points; 5th Southeast Division, 14th Eastern Conference, 26th Overall) @ New York Islanders (33-34; 73 points; 3rd Atlantic Division, 7th Eastern Conference, 15th Overall):
Caps Game #69, Road Game #33, NHL Game #1,024

Nassau County Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 7:05 pm. Washington TV: WDCW Channel 50. Radio: WBIG 100.3-FM (Yeah, you read that right, WTEM is carrying College Basketball Conference tournaments all day including the What's? Big Least Championship game tonight and WTNT has the Bullets. So, just be glad it is a signal you can pick up). New York TV: Fox Sportsnet New York "Deux." Radio: WBBR 1130-AM. NHL Center Ice: Fox Sporstnet New York "Deux" feed.

Forget trying to win, the Caps tonight head out on the road looking to just score a goal against the last team to allow them one. Since beating the Caps 6-2 at the Phone Booth last Saturday night, the Islanders dropped a home-and-home to the Rangers. Both games ended 2-1 with Monday's game in the Garden ending in a gimmick and Thursday night's was the infamous game where Chris Simon mistook Ryan Hollweg's head for a softball. Updating other former Caps now on Long Island, D.C. hero Richard Zednik was a healthy scratch Thursday night. (That didn't take long...)

What The Natives Are Saying:

Caps.com. Caps.com .pdf game notes.

Open Source Intelligence:

New York Daily News: League's big stick, use your head. New York Times (could be a work of fiction though). Islanders.com.

Neutral Views:

NHL.com AP Wire.

What Do I Expect Tonight?:

It does not matter who wins or who loses tonight, the big story surrounding this game will be the punishment that former Cap, current Islander Chris Simon receives from the NHL Front Office today. In addition to playing a team out of playoff contention, the Islanders are also going to have to deal with that distraction as well. The Islanders have been playing up and down recently but are solidly in a playoff position right now. A Caps win in regulation would be a big boost to the Ning who lead the Islanders by four point but the Islanders have two games in hand. The Canes could also use a Caps victory in regulation as they trail the Islanders by one point but are giving up two games in hand to the Islanders as well. The Rangers and Leafs are three points back of the Islanders and are currently out of the playoffs right now.

Caps Nut Official Washington Hockey.com Predict The Score Contest Entry:

Caps 3
Islanders 2
Winner by Novotny