The Caps take on their arch rival for the second time within a week

The Caps look to take on their rival the Pittsburh Penguins for the second time within a week with hopes this time around won’t be so disastorious. The last time the Caps met the Peguins was on Superbowl Sunday, after Pittsburgh had given New Jersey a solid thrashing.

Seeing what the Pens offense had done to last seasons Eastern Conference Champs, I was concerned for the Caps shakey and sometimes non-existence defense and equally lacking and de-energized offense. My concern wasn’t too far misplaced as the Penguins won the game 6-1.

Fastforward to tomorrow; the Caps are on a downward spiral, and honestly have been since the start of the season, facing a team that’s arguably one of the best in the league. Anyone else crapping their pants?

The Caps are everything the Cas aren’t; consistent, play smart (no dumb penalties!), have effective, and at times deadly, PK and PP units, but most importantly, they play as a team for the full game.

The Caps HAVE, I can not stress it enough, play a full game as a team getting pucks in front of the net to create scoring chance because eventually, one is going to butter the buscuit. When you start scoring, you start winning. When you start winning, you make the Playoffs and then anything could happen.

Basically; the Caps need to play sixty minutes (plus overtime if it comes to it) of hard, energized, consistent hockey and they’ll see things turn around.

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CHIMRAWR

This season’s been nuts. Jason Chimera, of all people, lead the team in scoring until early December, the Caps fired their Coach, Ovie doesn’t have 20 goals yet, and consistency.

I talk about Chimera, not only because he’s found his scoring stick, but because he got the GWG last night. FOr a guy who’s supposed to add “character”, he’s been adding a whole hell of a lot of scoring “character”.

Not only does he have 4 more goals than he did last year, but he’s dominating in points as well only 5 away from his season total last year. Not bad for a career 3rd liner, eh?

Last night was only proof that Chimera is the kind of player the Caps need more of. He’s a solid all around player; being able to contribute to scoring, setting up plays, the occasional fight, and a key physical presence in front of the net.

Last night was really a corner turned for the Caps. Not because they won, but how they won. They won by listening to their Coach and following his game plan and playing as a team and not as a group of talented guys.

Albeit, the game didn’t exactly start out the way you want, but they got their act together part way through the second and it was on in the third. The Caps kept it simple and dominated the Pens, from a physical and scoring stand point.

The Caps did score only one goal in the first, but they had higher quality scoring opportunities. Not to mention Hendricks being on absolute fire last night, if half the pucks he shot at the net went in the Caps would’ve won by a land slide.

Last night was an example of how the Caps should play if they really want to be a threat this year. If they keep playing hard and with the same intensity exhibited last night, they’re going to be in good shape come Playoff time.