The last wild card spot in the East has five teams circling it (four of whom also could claim the third spot in the Metro)- Islanders, Capitals, Flyers, Red Wings, and Penguins. And at this point I really have no idea who's going to get in. A week ago I'd have said the Capitals were in the best spot for it, but after a couple of shockingly-lackluster performances this week (including last night's 4-1 bed-soiling against their hated rivals in Pittsburgh)... they'd have to really show me something to get me back on board in believing they can make this work. It's amazing, watching them right now- a team that has clawed its way into a spot like this despite being deadline sellers, making noise all winter long, and when they get to a point where they can put their foot down and start getting rid of, say, the PENGUINS of all teams... they wilt. Losing that game would have essentially ended the Penguins' season- not officially, but the climb would have been too much to realistically climb. Instead, they're even closer in the rear view of the rest of the pack now, and the Caps are the ones looking like they might be lunch meat.
My wife is a diehard Caps fan, and got tickets at Christmas to the home game coming up against Boston (yes, I'll be in black and yellow), and honestly we started wondering if it was going to be important as a preview of a playoff round between us the following week, or at least a game the Caps could potentially clinch their playoff spot with. Now, it has all the hallmarks of the kind of game that no one cares about- a home squad eliminated and just running out the clock before they can go home, and a visiting Boston squad resting guys before the real war breaks out a few days later. Bummer.
But, on the bright side, the remaining teams in the hunt are in for a heck of a finish, Pittsburgh included. From a hockey fan perspective, that's going to be a lot of fun to watch.
