WSH vs. SJ
WSH vs. SJ
SJ is 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings vs. WASH
WAS is 9-17-5 ATS on the road this season.
WASH road goals for 2.29, goals against 3.23
SJ home goals for 2.9, home goals against 2.13
Last 5 games for Wash - goals for avg 2.60, goals against 2.8 PP 11%, PK 58%
Last 5 for SJ - goals for 2.8, goals against 2.0 PP 16%, PK 95%
Caps Articles from the Post...
3-15
By Tarik El-Bashir
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 15, 2002; Page D06
When the Washington Capitals open a critical eight-game road trip tonight in San Jose, the players and coaches will be interested in more than just what is happening on the ice before them -- they also will be keeping a close eye on the scoreboard, hoping to catch the scores of a half-dozen teams they are battling for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.
"That's only natural," Capitals Coach Ron Wilson said. "I know I'll be looking at the scoreboard to see what's going on. When you come to the bench for rest, players can't help but look up at the scoreboard."
Six teams -- New Jersey, the New York Rangers, Montreal, Washington, Buffalo and Pittsburgh -- are all within eight points of one another, with one month remaining in the regular season.
Washington (27-29-10-1), however, would seem to have the toughest road of those teams. The Capitals play 10 of their final 15 games on the road, including eight straight away from MCI Center starting tonight at Compaq Center, and they play on back-to-back nights four times. But the most discouraging number for the Capitals is 10 -- the number of games against teams with better records than them.
"It's definitely crunch time for us," said winger Peter Bondra. "We need to pretty much win every game."
But winning alone won't be enough. The Capitals, who are unbeaten in their past four road games but are 9-17-5 away from MCI this season, also need the teams ahead of them to lose, which is why they'll be checking the scoreboards.
New Jersey (in seventh place), the Rangers (eighth) and Montreal (two points ahead of Washington) also face a challenging home stretch, but none as tough as the Capitals'.
"We're going to need everybody to play at their best," said left wing Chris Simon. "Nothing less will do it. If everyone doesn't pull their own weight, it will be evident."
New Jersey has 16 games remaining, eight at home, including four sets of back-to-back games. But only seven come against teams with better records. The Rangers have 14 games left, eight on the road and 10 against opponents with better records than them. Montreal has 15 games remaining, eight on the road and five against teams with better records.
Buffalo and Pittsburgh are also in the hunt for the final playoff spots, but both trailed the Capitals entering tonight's games.
"Obviously, you're going to pay attention to whether they are winning or losing," Simon said. "After every game, you're going to want to watch the highlights on TV and in the morning you'll want to read the paper. . . . There's more pressure now. The teams that will get in will be the teams who deal with the pressure the best."
In addition to trying to salvage what has been a disappointing season, many Capitals are also thinking about the looming trade deadline. Tonight's game against the Sharks (35-20-7-3) and Saturday's game at Edmonton are the Capitals' last two games before the March 19 deadline, and the outcomes might force General Manager George McPhee to make some tough decisions. A pair of bad losses could lead McPhee to make some changes with an eye on improving the team for next season.
"[But] if we win both games, who knows?" winger Jaromir Jagr said. "Maybe George will add somebody for the playoffs."
Goaltender Olaf Kolzig added: "If you put too much pressure on yourself, guys will be squeezing their sticks, and you'll definitely lose the games. You can't think that if you don't play well your teammate might get traded."
One thing is certain as the Capitals embark on the most challenging stretch of the season -- they need Kolzig to be at his best. Kolzig, who is 4-3-1 since returning from a minor knee injury, likely will start at least six of the eight road games.
"I thought I was playing my best hockey of the season before I got hurt," Kolzig said. "But I feel like I'm getting more comfortable with every game. I'm going to have to play as well as I have all year on this trip."
3-14
By Jason La Canfora
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 14, 2002; Page D08
When the Washington Capitals' schedule was finalized last summer, everyone in the organization immediately noticed an eight-game road trip in March. Players, coaches and management alike wondered what impact the scheduling quirk would have on the season.
It turns out the grueling stretch of play will likely dictate the outcome of the season: Washington's playoff hopes will be either sparked or quashed by the time the Capitals return to MCI Center on March 30 to play the New York Islanders.
"We knew we'd have to do it on the road anyway," said Coach Ron Wilson, whose team entered play last night three points out of the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot. "We've got eight [road] games over the next 18 days or whatever it is; we certainly have our work cut out for us. But if we keep playing this way -- skating and hitting -- then I like our chances."
The Capitals have just 15 games left to play, 10 on the road. Washington is only 9-17-5 away from home, although the club's form on the road is improving. Although the Capitals have yet to win consecutive road games this season, they are unbeaten in their past four road games -- their longest streak of the season -- and are playing much better defensive hockey away from home.
"We're playing a solid game," defenseman Ken Klee said. "I think when we're playing the way we are now we're not as concerned about road vs. home. As long as we're playing solid and all four lines are contributing then we're going to fare well on the road."
How their improved play on the road translates to this trip remains to be seen. Besides the grind of constant travel, this trip will also provide rigorous competition. The team departs for California Thursday afternoon and faces San Jose on Friday night; the Sharks' speed and size provides problems for the Capitals and Washington has not won in San Jose since October 1993, an 0-4-1 skid.
Saturday morning, the Capitals head to Edmonton to face the Oilers that night. Washington has not won in Edmonton since 1996, losing four straight games by a combined score of 22-7. The Capitals travel to Denver on Sunday, where, after a two-day respite, they meet the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche. Two days later they are in Toronto, where the Maple Leafs are fighting for a top playoff spot, then face back-to-back games in Columbus and Pittsburgh (Washington has won just two of its last 13 games there) next weekend.
The club plans to return home immediately following the game against the Penguins, take Monday the 25th off and fly to Buffalo on Tuesday morning for a game that night against the Sabres. The Capitals will return home after that game and conclude the trip three days later in New Jersey before having five of their last seven games at home.
"You know it's a tough month, especially toward the end of the season when every team is going to fight for a playoff spot," defenseman Sergei Gonchar said. "There's not going to be any easy games, but there's nothing you can do about it. The schedule came out that way and we have to play through it."
The Capitals' traditionally slow start was hardly aided by a difficult early schedule -- 12 of their first 15 games were on the road -- and the team does not have a homestand longer than three games all season; the Capitals have been dominant at home over the past three seasons. Washington still has five sets of back-to-back games left on its schedule and will play one third of its remaining games on the second of back-to-back nights.
Last season, the Capitals thrived under such circumstances, going 5-0-1 on a challenging February road trip, the most successful extended trip in franchise history. Something approximating a repeat of that would be vital now.
"Every game is important for us," Gonchar said. "We have to take one game at a time and not go ahead of ourselves and not look back. It's a different year than last year, but as hard as we've been playing I think we will be okay."
Capitals Notes: Right wing Stephen Peat has been reassigned to Portland of the American Hockey League. Peat has played in 36 games, contributing two goals and two assists, and was second on the team in penalty minutes. . . . Wilson canceled yesterday's practice to give the team a rare day off. The Capitals will practice this morning before boarding a plane to San Jose.
