The night before training camp opened last September, Coach Bruce Boudreau stood in a ballroom filled with roster players and prospects. The Washington Capitals' goals for the 2009-10 season, he told them, are to win the Southeast Division, the Eastern Conference, the Presidents' Trophy and the Stanley Cup.
"So far," Boudreau said Saturday at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, "we've got one of them and we're on the verge of two."
The Capitals can clinch the first regular season conference title in the franchise's 35-year history Sunday afternoon by earning a single standings point against the reeling Calgary Flames, who have dropped three of their past four games, including a 5-0 defeat Saturday in Boston.
Winning the conference, though, would have more significance than simply making history and achieving the second of Boudreau's four preseason goals. The No. 1 seed in each conference is guaranteed home ice throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs, which, in theory, gives the players on the home team a comfort level advantage and the coaches a tactical edge.
"It's huge," defenseman Tom Poti said. "We love our home cooking, and we love to play at home in front of our crowd. We get amped up a little more to play in front of them."
The top seed would mean Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 in each round of the conference playoffs would be at Verizon Center, where they're a league-leading 27-4-4, have outscored opponents, 139-90, and are backed by one of the league's loudest crowds. Interestingly, their league-leading power play is even more dangerous (26.4 percent vs. 25.5 on the road) and their struggling penalty kill is markedly better on home ice (84.8 percent vs. 74.4 on the road).
Alex Ovechkin said playing in front of the boisterous crowds on F Street -- the past 50 games have been sellouts -- serves as a major source of motivation for him and his teammates.
"The fans [are] unbelievable right now," he said. "It's crazy. If we are losing the game, the fans keep pushing us because they want free wings. It's pretty sick when everyone screams 'Unleash the fury.' My first year, there was probably three people in the stands. Second year, five people. Right now it's 20,000 people."
Capacity crowds aside, Boudreau and his players also noted the importance of hosting Game 7 -- even if that advantage hasn't been reflected in the final score the past two seasons.
"You hope you don't have to win it in Game 7," Boudreau said. "But that's where the advantage comes in."
David Steckel added, "It's a big deal because, historically, the odds are in your favor in Game 7 if you have home ice."
The Capitals, however, have yet to take full advantage of it under Boudreau. They're 6-6 at Verizon Center in the playoffs the past two seasons, and 1-2 in Game 7s, including a crushing 6-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins last May. (Throughout the league last season, home teams went 2-4 in Game 7s).
Nicklas Backstrom agreed that playing a series-deciding game at home "can make a big difference." But the soft-spoken Swede also conceded that it might have worked against an inexperienced Capitals team when the season was on the line against Pittsburgh.
"We weren't ready," he said. "Maybe we thought it was done because we had home advantage, so we took it easier."
Boudreau added, "You would have to call that game an anomaly. Hopefully those lessons have been learned [and] if it goes to that again, we'll know what to expect and what to do."
From a tactical standpoint, home ice provides one plus that can't be disputed: Boudreau has the option to match his best defensive pair and top checking line against the opponent's best forwards.
"We get the last change, which allows us to do some maneuvering, if we care to do so," Boudreau said.
Capitals notes: Brooks Laich skated lightly Saturday morning wearing a full cage on his helmet to protect the injury to his face. But the winger is not expected to play before Tuesday. . . .
Brendan Morrison left practice early with what Boudreau called a "lower body tweak." According to the American Hockey League's Web site, the Capitals have recalled prospect Mathieu Perreault. . . .
Defenseman Shaone Morrisonn had four wisdom teeth removed Friday and will miss Sunday's game, Boudreau said. . . .
The Capitals will tie the franchise record for wins (50) if they beat the Flames.
"So far," Boudreau said Saturday at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, "we've got one of them and we're on the verge of two."
The Capitals can clinch the first regular season conference title in the franchise's 35-year history Sunday afternoon by earning a single standings point against the reeling Calgary Flames, who have dropped three of their past four games, including a 5-0 defeat Saturday in Boston.
Winning the conference, though, would have more significance than simply making history and achieving the second of Boudreau's four preseason goals. The No. 1 seed in each conference is guaranteed home ice throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs, which, in theory, gives the players on the home team a comfort level advantage and the coaches a tactical edge.
"It's huge," defenseman Tom Poti said. "We love our home cooking, and we love to play at home in front of our crowd. We get amped up a little more to play in front of them."
The top seed would mean Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 in each round of the conference playoffs would be at Verizon Center, where they're a league-leading 27-4-4, have outscored opponents, 139-90, and are backed by one of the league's loudest crowds. Interestingly, their league-leading power play is even more dangerous (26.4 percent vs. 25.5 on the road) and their struggling penalty kill is markedly better on home ice (84.8 percent vs. 74.4 on the road).
Alex Ovechkin said playing in front of the boisterous crowds on F Street -- the past 50 games have been sellouts -- serves as a major source of motivation for him and his teammates.
"The fans [are] unbelievable right now," he said. "It's crazy. If we are losing the game, the fans keep pushing us because they want free wings. It's pretty sick when everyone screams 'Unleash the fury.' My first year, there was probably three people in the stands. Second year, five people. Right now it's 20,000 people."
Capacity crowds aside, Boudreau and his players also noted the importance of hosting Game 7 -- even if that advantage hasn't been reflected in the final score the past two seasons.
"You hope you don't have to win it in Game 7," Boudreau said. "But that's where the advantage comes in."
David Steckel added, "It's a big deal because, historically, the odds are in your favor in Game 7 if you have home ice."
The Capitals, however, have yet to take full advantage of it under Boudreau. They're 6-6 at Verizon Center in the playoffs the past two seasons, and 1-2 in Game 7s, including a crushing 6-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins last May. (Throughout the league last season, home teams went 2-4 in Game 7s).
Nicklas Backstrom agreed that playing a series-deciding game at home "can make a big difference." But the soft-spoken Swede also conceded that it might have worked against an inexperienced Capitals team when the season was on the line against Pittsburgh.
"We weren't ready," he said. "Maybe we thought it was done because we had home advantage, so we took it easier."
Boudreau added, "You would have to call that game an anomaly. Hopefully those lessons have been learned [and] if it goes to that again, we'll know what to expect and what to do."
From a tactical standpoint, home ice provides one plus that can't be disputed: Boudreau has the option to match his best defensive pair and top checking line against the opponent's best forwards.
"We get the last change, which allows us to do some maneuvering, if we care to do so," Boudreau said.
Capitals notes: Brooks Laich skated lightly Saturday morning wearing a full cage on his helmet to protect the injury to his face. But the winger is not expected to play before Tuesday. . . .
Brendan Morrison left practice early with what Boudreau called a "lower body tweak." According to the American Hockey League's Web site, the Capitals have recalled prospect Mathieu Perreault. . . .
Defenseman Shaone Morrisonn had four wisdom teeth removed Friday and will miss Sunday's game, Boudreau said. . . .
The Capitals will tie the franchise record for wins (50) if they beat the Flames.
