Caps @ Ning 1-12-2010 Wrap Up/ Caps @ Panthers 1-13-2010 Preview

The Local Yokels:

(Com)Post.  Caps.com.

The Neutral Observers:

NHL.com.  AP Wire.

The Other Side:

St. Petersburg Times: still fighting, here we go again.  Tampa Tribune: streak over, quick trigger.


Final Thoughts:

Sounds like we didn't miss much, except for maybe the Caps turning into the Philadelphia Flyers....

45 down, 37 to go.


Washington Capitals (29-18; 60 points; 1st Southeast Division, 3rd Eastern Conference, 5th Overall) @ Florida Panthers  (18-27; 43 points; 4th Southeast Division, 13th Eastern Conference, 27th Overall):
Caps Game #46, Road Game #26, NHL Game #690

Caps "Magic Numbers" (Caps Points Earned+Lost by team named) to clinch:
Playoff Spot: 60 Atlanta, and Tampa Bay
Southeast Division Championship: 60 Atlanta and Tampa Bay
Eastern Conference #1 Seed: 81 New Jersey
President's Trophy: 81 New Jersey

BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise, FL, 7:37 pm. Washington TV: Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. Radio: WFED 1500-AM. Florida TV: Fox Sportsnet Florida. Radio: WAXY 790-AM.  NHL Center Ice: Fox Sportsnet Florida and Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic feeds.

Tonight, the Caps get a chance to rebound right away when they finish off the Florida two-step and their three game road trip when they visit the Florida Panthers.  This is the second time the Caps have visited the Panthers and the Caps have won all three meetings so far this season.  While the Panthers got a win in their last game on Saturday night, a 3-0 shutout of the Senators in Ottawa, it was just their second win in their last seven games overall.

What The Natives Are Saying:

Caps.com.

Neutral Observers:

NHL.com.  AP Wire.

Open Source Intelligence:

Miami Herald.

What Do We Expect Tonight?:

Well folks, how bad do things have to be for Bruce Boudreau to take the blame for something?  After two consecutive poor performances in the first period; Boudreau is stepping up and taking the blame which is something he wasn't doing just a couple of weeks ago when the Caps were laying eggs in the first period.  So now we're back to the team not coming to play in the first period.  In some fairness, we've come to expect this problem when the team has back-to-back games in Florida.  The Caps usually get a day or two off before having to play the first game and as a result, often get a little too much sand in their skates.  So will it be drilled out of the Caps tonight?  Better yet, will Boudreau use the quick hook of Michal "Bebe" Neuvirth last night as the excuse to give him yet another start?  But right now folks, it seems pretty simple for the Caps.  Get off to a good start and the game will fall their way.


Caps Nut Official Prediction:

Caps 2
Panthers 4
Winner by Weiss
(22-23 on the season with one perfect game)