Puck 'N Hockey

The Caps get ready to kick off the final stretch of the regular season. This is an important time in any team’s season. With 32 games left in the regular season and a daunting playoff run looming ahead, this is the time of year when consistent special teams and strong even strength play matters most. It’s key for any team hoping to hoist Lord Stanley to play well the last quarter of the season. Teams clawing for points in the end are used to the grind of the playoffs and develop drive inside the locker room to play a better brand of hockey.

This week is a rather light week on the schedule for the Caps. Having only 3 games from Tuesday through Sunday means rest and practice in between. There should be strong efforts from the squad due to the easy work load. However, their opponents this week are nothing to take lightly. That being said lets break down the match ups.

Tuesday at Verizon Center: Montreal Canadiens GP 50 W 27 L 18 OL 5 PTS 59 LAST 10 (6-2-2)

Season Series (1-0)

LAST GAME Tue Dec 28th, 2010 3-0 VICTORY FOR THE CAPS

Three Star Selections

1st: Semyon Varlamov

2nd: Jay Beagle

3rd: Mike Green

Winning Goaltender

Semyon Varlamov

Losing Goaltender

Carey Price

Winning Goal:

Jay Beagle

Match up: This is still a team fresh in the minds of Caps players. This Montreal team, despite missing the key piece halting the Caps from the second round of the playoffs during 2010, still plays the same. The Habs stack up well against the Caps. They are a very opportunistic team with special teams consistently ranked in the top 15 league wide (PP-11TH, PK-6TH). With Montreal still without playoff hero and power play specialist Mike Cammalleri, look for more of the Habs role players getting more looks on the Power Play and Even Strength.

X FACTOR: Alex Ovechkin. The face of the franchise. Fresh off an all-star showing that was great considering the inconsistent season he is having. Look for him to continue his recent momentum and try to catch up in the scoring race.

Friday at St. Pete Times Forum: Tampa Bay Lightning GP 51 W 31 L15 O5 PTS 67 LAST 10 (7-3-0)

Season Series (2-2)

LAST GAME Wed Jan 12th, 2011 3-0 VICTORY FOR THE BOLTS

Three Star Selections

1st: Mattias Ohlund

2nd: Dwayne Roloson

3rd: Nate Thompson

Winning Goaltender

Dwayne Roloson

Losing Goaltender

Semyon Varlamov

Winning Goal:

Dominic Moore

Match Up: January 3rd, 2011 is a day the Caps as of recently, want to forget. That was the day the Bolts acquired Dwayne Roloson from the New York Islanders. Since then, it’s been a tale of two puck stoppers. The tandem of Mike Smith and Dan Ellis didn’t do much of a job letting in 12 goals on 55 shots with a collective save percentage of .781 against the Caps. Let’s just say, even a beer league team expects better from a starting goalie. Since “ROLO” has gotten between the pipes, he has a sparkling 1.00 save percentage while facing the Capitals’ 57 shots. Roloson is a goalie that thrives on a heavy workload. Having played on the Island will do that to a goaltender. Even though this game on paper is only worth two points for the Caps and Bolts, it’s worth a lot more than that. Both teams only lock horns once after this meeting so points against divisional rivals will become highly crucial from this point on. Tampa has a 4 point cushion currently in the Southeast standings. Until this season the Caps have had a relatively easy time within their own division. Parity is now strong within the division. Atlanta and Carolina are in the hunt for playoff spots even though it’s near the floor of the playoff seeding.

X FACTOR: Having read my match up section of this game, it’s pretty obvious whom I’m planning on mentioning. Dwayne Roloson doesn’t mind stopping pucks at his own barn or on the road. He has shut out a very determined Washington team in both places. Also having one of the few offenses in the NHL that can stack up with the Caps, doesn’t hurt either. Roloson is my choice to make a difference even though this game is over flowing with the potential of a high scoring game.

Sunday at Verizon Center: Pittsburgh Penguins GP 50 W 31 L 15 OL 4 PTS 66 LAST 10 (6-3-1)

Season Series (1-1)

LAST GAME Sat Jan 1st, 2011 3-1 VICTORY FOR THE CAPS

Three star selections

1st: Semyon Varlamov

2nd: Eric Fehr

3rd: Evgeni Malkin

Winning Goaltender

Semyon Varlamov

Losing Goaltender

Marc Andre Fleury

Winning Goal

Eric Fehr

Match up: Fitting that even on Super Bowl Sunday, the NHL can steal a little bit of the bright lights and dazzle from Dallas. The NHL has a premier match up with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals facing off for the third time this season. These games have become somewhat of a big showcase for the NHL. You have elite young talents at both ends of the ice, two cities close in proximity, and pure dislike for one another. The games brightest stars collide in this showdown that has yet to disappoint. The Caps look to capitalize (no pun intended) on a Pens side without Sidney Crosby, who has been sidelined since January 7th with a concussion. Both teams like these games as the high tempo of the squads lends itself to the style of hockey played in mid to late April. The Caps enjoy the big stage with the personalities they have on the roster, which matches up so well against an equally skilled Steel City team.

X FACTOR: As many stars as I’d love to mention in this section I can’t bring myself to name one. In the past two meetings of these squads a role player has came through and sealed the deal for their respective teams. Most recently, Pascal Dupuis for the Pens in the shoot out a week prior to Eric Fehr’s memorable two goal effort at Heinz field to kick start the new year. As of late, Matt Hendricks has been playing lights out. In the last five games he has 2 goals and 4 points. Hendy posted his offensive numbers while not being a negative player in any of those games and averaging almost 14 minutes of ice time during that span. He is being used in different situations and it’s really paying off for him.

Along with my “Week at a Glance” column look out for my more brash and opinionated publishing on “A Mile Off Sides” that will hit the site today.