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Caps Prep For Crucial Final Week
Caps such as Alexander Semin (28) want to see Alex Ovechkin in the playoffs.
(By Preston Keres -- The Washington Post)
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If the Capitals are going to catch the Hurricanes and capture the Southeast Division, they must win tonight; Carolina would clinch the division with a regulation victory.
Goaltender Cristobal Huet, winner of his past six starts and eight of 10 since coming to the Capitals at the trade deadline, will start against the Hurricanes, who have lost two of their last three and might welcome back forwards Ray Whitney (ankle) and Justin Williams (knee) from injuries.
With so much on the line, tonight would be a good time for Ovechkin to continue his domination of the league, and the Hurricanes in particular (his six goals against Carolina matches his highest total against a single team this season). While this is a big week for the Capitals, it's also important for the league, which would like nothing more than to have its highest scoring and most exciting player competing on its biggest stage.
Ovechkin is having a season for the history books. But it's not just his point total that makes him special; it's the destined-for-the-highlights manner in which he goes about racking them up.
"It would be great for the fans, for the league, for TV, for media, for us, obviously," veteran center Sergei Fedorov said. "He's a marquee player and he's having a great season. It would create sort of a buzz about the game. It's great. Hopefully, we get it done for Ovie as a team."
Defenseman Tom Poti said if people think Ovechkin is a great player in the regular season, just wait until he's on the postseason stage.
"You look at his game, his style, it's built for the NHL playoffs," Poti said. "The way he plays, it's going to be so exciting to watch him when we do get into the playoffs. It's going to be special for us to watch and for the league to watch. It's going to be great for everyone involved."
But first, they've got to get there.
"Oh yeah, I love it," Ovechkin said when a reporter suggested that he looks like he's having the time of his life.
"It's the biggest game in our year. We're very excited and we can't wait to go to the ice."
