Caps vs. Senators 3-30-2010 Preview

Washington Capitals (49-26; 109 points; 1st Southeast Division, 1st Eastern Conference, 1st Overall) vs. Ottawa Senators (41-35; 87 points; 2nd Northeast Division, 4th Eastern Conference, 13th Overall):
Caps Game #76, Home Game #37, NHL Game #1,136

Caps "Magic Numbers" (Caps Points Earned+Lost by team named) to clinch:
Playoff Spot: Clinched 3/11
Southeast Division Championship: Clinched 3/11
Eastern Conference #1 Seed: Clinched 3/28
President's Trophy: 7 Chicago and San Jose (26 of 29 eliminated)

Verizon Center, Washington, D.C., 7:07 pm. Washington TV: Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. Radio: WFED 1500-AM. Ottawa TV: Rogers Sportsnet East. Radio: CFGO 1200-AM.  Canadian National TV: RDS (French)  NHL Center Ice: Comcast SportNet Mid-Atlantic and Rogers Sportsnet East feeds.

Tonight, the Caps, who will not be able to clinch anything at all, look to get back on track when they host the Ottawa Senators for the fourth and final meeting between the teams this season.  The Caps have had some trouble with Ottawa this season, winning only once in three tries, but the home team has won all the games so far this season.  Ottawa is once again on one of their patented streaks this season.  After losing 5 in row, the Senators are currently on a 4 game winning streak after beating the Florida Panthers 3-2 at home on Saturday night in their last game.

What The Natives Are Saying:

(Com)Post.  Examiner.  Caps.com.

Neutral Views:

NHL.com.  AP Wire.

Open Source Intelligence:

Ottawa Senators:  new kid, look forward to the chance, heating up, twins.  Ottawa Sun.


What Do We Expect Tonight?:

After a bad loss on Sunday the Caps should come out tonight ready to play and wanting to prove what a fluke the last two games have been.  However of the walking wounded, only Shaone Morrrissonnn is slated to be back in the lineup tonight.  That alone should help the Caps but we still don't believe that Brooks "and Dunn" Laich and Brendan Morrrissonn would still be sitting out as well if this was a playoff or some other game that the Caps had to win.  So is the key to ending the Caps current two-game skid simply a better first period?  Against a team on a four game winning streak, it certainly is.  But for some reason with this franchise, the Easter season is Caps own Bermuda Triangle and in case you heathens haven't noticed, this is Holy Week as Easter is this coming Sunday.  We understand why Bruce Boudreau doesn't want to push guys who are a little banged up right now.  After all the Caps expect to be playing hockey for another 10 weeks but as long as the Caps aren't facing any real pressure, we just have a gut feeling that they aren't going to play the way they need to here with seven games left in the regular season.

Caps Nut Official Prediction:

Caps 2
Senators 5
Winner by Alfredsson
(40-35 on the season with one perfect game)