Caps Win Southeast Division
The Caps clinched the playoffs and the division Saturday night vs. the Florida Panthers. It was a resounding slam dunk on a roller coaster season. As the Caps get ready for the playoffs and the schedule to be set let's look at the check list: Superstar - check, hot goaltending at the right time - check, leadership (Federov) - check, a second line capable of scoring - check so get ready for some playoff action in DC.
No one is saying to get the Cup ready for DC, but can any team look forward to playing the Caps and Ovechkin? The best game plan teams coming to DC can have is to play physical, impose their will while being aggressive, and take the lead early. The Caps don't boast a top playoff penalty kill percentage, which for so long used to be a staple for the Caps. Not having a complete defense to stop an aggressive team bending the Caps to their will results in penalties. It's these penalties that can lead to goals and in the playoffs this could be the difference between winning and losing. It's the Caps that must impose their will and take the lead early. When coaches say the first five minutes of the period set the tone, it's even more critical for a young team making the playoffs for the first time together.
Some would have you believing that this was the greatest stretch to finish the season...ever. I guess starved home town fans have forgotten yester year of Caps History. There's always a first just like making the playoffs for the first time or winning the division, advancing to the next round or even making it to the finals, but when you hear ownership saying that the Caps were playing playoff hockey for over a month this is true. It's the notion that some can infer that the Caps have never started slow or come back from early season deficits. How often before Langway did Caps fans stay after a game listening to a game over the speakers that if things fell the right way meant the playoffs and if not then an early start for next season. These were the days of the old 1-16 playoff format. In the days of the old Patrick Division making the playoffs was very tough and the Caps usually started the season slow yet somehow once Langway arrived in Washington, the Caps always found their way to the playoffs.
What made this late season so nice was the Caps learned something about themselves for a team that lacked an identity other than having one of the best players in the NHL. The Caps learned how to close out games. Leadership from Federov could only help this young team learn how to do this and make progress. Now it's time for the Caps to not prove that they can make the playoffs, but to put other teams on notice that they don't want to play the Caps in the playoffs and that they're here to stay.
