The Washington Capitals hold the inside track to claim the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. However, they are far from comfortable in their position. Head coach Spencer Carbery and his team are gearing up for a showdown with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday with major implications for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Carbery addressed this matchup on Wednesday. He made no attempt to downplay the importance of this game. In fact, it seemed as if the rookie bench boss embraced the stakes. One thing is for sure, he believes his team is more than ready for this game on Thursday night.
“For us, we know the circumstances surrounding tomorrow,” Carbery said Wednesday, via NHL.com. “It’s our biggest game of the year, right, on home ice, most important time of the year, and now with the runway getting extremely short, our guys understand what’s at stake.”
Capitals, Penguins are playoff foes again
The Capitals and Penguins have a lengthy history in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This especially rings true in recent memory, as the two have constantly clashed in the spring. This time, their rivalry is less direct than a straight-up playoff series.
Washington and Pittsburgh are vying for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals, as mentioned, have the inside track. They possess that coveted final spot with 82 points. Washington is tied on points with the Detroit Red Wings but holds a tiebreaker over the Winged Wheel.
The Penguins, however, are a late entry into this race. In fact, they sold at the NHL Trade Deadline in March due to their poor play leading in. As of late, though, Pittsburgh has caught fire. They have won four of their last five games. Now, they are just three points back of the Capitals entering play on Thursday.
Spencer Carbery has his Capitals squad in a good position to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And this game against Pittsburgh is extremely vital for that. However, their hopes don't solely lie with earning the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Washington's bid is two-fold
The Capitals have gone on quite the run. Washington is on a three-game losing streak entering Thursday. Prior to that, though, Spencer Carbery and his team had won eight of their last 10 contests. This has allowed them to gain ground in the wild card race and create a battle for a divisional spot.
The Capitals trail the Philadelphia Flyers by just one point for third place in the Metropolitan Division. Finishing third in the division certainly changes the outlook for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. A third-place finish sets up a likely matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. However, a wild card finish could see Washington pitted against the Presidents Trophy winner.
This game is vital for many reasons. And Carbery is not shying away from the pressure that inherently comes with games such as these. Whatever the result, the Capitals and Penguins are set for a must-see contest that will certainly carry a playoff atmosphere on Thursday night.
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