Game 5 Caps vs. Rangers 4-24-2009 Preview

Series B: Washington Capitals (51-35; 108 points; 1st Southeast Division, 2nd Eastern Conference, 4th Overall) vs. New York Rangers (46-40; 95 points; 4th Atlantic Division; 7th Eastern Conference, 12th Overall):
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Game #5, Caps Game #5, Home Game #3, NHL Game #125

Verizon Center, Washington, DC. 7:10 pm. Washington TV: Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic. Radio: WJFK 106.7-FM, WTOP 1050-AM. New York TV: MSG. Radio: WEPN 1050-AM. U.S. National TV: Versus. Canadian National TV: TSN, RDS (French).

Tonight it all comes to an end if history is any indication. Last year the Rangers jumped out to a 2-0 lead on New Jersey and ended the series in five games, not to mention them only losing a series after getting a 2-0 lead just once, in 1968. The Caps are just 7-17 in Game 5 in their history and have been able to avoid elimination only twice, one coming last year, in seven opportunities in Game 5. The Caps are just 4-10 in Game 5 on home ice.

What The Natives Are Saying:

(Com)Post: same old situation, finalist. Times: memories, doing his job, finalist. Caps.com.

Neutral Views:

NHL.com: AP Wire, huge task, playing poorly, can be done, believe it. Caps AP Wire.

Open Source Intelligence:

Newsday. New York Daily News. New York Times. Rangers.com.

Open Source Stupidity:

New York Post: great goaltending, no excuse.

What Do We Expect Tonight?:

Well folks, if this sounds awfully familiar, it is because we've just copied and pasted the same section from our Game 3 Preview with a few tweaks here and there. Because folks, nothing has really changed and were just tired of typing the same stuff over and over...

Stop us if you've heard us say this before, but the Caps have to get to Henrik Lundqvist early and we're not talking about registering double digit shots on goal. We're talking about goals, the more the better, but even just one will do. Even if the Caps the trail 5-1 after the first period, it will be an improvement, because the longer the Caps go without scoring on Lundqvist, the more their frustration will grow. The theme of today is two fold, and first is above all is to relax. Now that the Caps are down 3-1, the pressure is gone. No longer longer are the Caps really expected to win this series. The second theme is to believe that they can dig out of this hole. We have to admit, we don't like our chances and if the Caps are going to come back in the series, well then tonight is a MUST WIN GAME and there are no two ways about it. Certainly the Caps did beat the Rangers three times in a row this season. We think we'll have an early idea of this is game heading after the first period tonight because if the Caps are held off the scoreboard again, it is going to be a long night and the series will be over.

Caps Nut Official Prediction:

Caps 2
Rangers 3
Winner by Avery (We don't believe for a second that they're going to bench him now)

(1-3 in the postseason)