Caps @ Bruins 3-8-2008 Preview

Washington Capitals (32-36; 72 points; 2nd Southeast Division, 10th Eastern Conference, 21st Overall) @ Boston Bruins (35-32; 77 points; 3rd Northeast Division, 7th Eastern Conference, 15th Overall):
Caps Game #69, Road Game #35, NHL Game #1,028

TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA, 1:08 pm. Washington TV: Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic. Radio: WWWT 1500-AM, 107.7-FM. Boston TV: NESN. Radio: WWBZ 1030-AM. NHL Center Ice: NESN feed.

Today the Caps make their second and final visit to Boston this season to face the Bruins for the second time this week and third time this year. The season series is split so far with each team winning on home ice. Since Monday's 10-2 bombing, the Bruins played the Panthers close and held them scoreless for over 60 minutes before falling 1-0 in overtime on home ice. Then on Thursday night, Boston was bombed again as the Maple Leafs came into Boston and beat them 8-2.

What The Natives Are Saying:

(Com)Post. Times. Caps.com.

Neutral Views:

NHL.com AP Wire.

Open Source Intelligence:

Boston Globe: fall to pieces, Caps thumbnails. Boston Herald.

What Do I Expect Today:

Revenge, it's the dish best served cold. The CW today says that the Bruins will be loaded for bear (pun intended) after being bombed recently by Washington and Toronto; especially since they get a chance to play the Caps again today. Head Coach Claude Julien increased the intensity and tempo of practice as punishment in an attempt to get his team back on track at a time of season when most practices are being toned down if run at all. Yet Caps history is not on the Bruins side today. As you already know, Monday was the 12th time the Caps have reached double digits in goals and in the previous 11 rematches (the next game between the two teams after the Caps scored 10 or more goals) only once have the Caps lost. Oddly enough it was the second year Ottawa Senators who were able to get a measure of revenge when they beat the Caps 6-5 on April 6th, 1994 after the Caps had bombed them 10-2 on December 17th, 1993. The rematches were considerably closer, the largest margin of victory being 6 (against the Ning in 1999) and the average margin of victory in the 10 wins is 2.6. So in short don't expect the Caps to score another 10 goals today but don't expect the Bruins to win either. Scoring ten goals tends to build confidence in a team while destroying it in the other team.

Caps Nut Official Prediction:

Caps 4
Bruins 2
Winner by Kozlov

(34-33 on the season)