According to sportsclubstat.com, below are the five most likely opponents the Caps will face in the first round as of 03/27 (as measured by highest percentage of possible outcomes, unweighted).
Rangers—35% (28% of all outcomes lead to a 2-7 matchup with the Rangers)
Sabres—24%
Canadiens—19%
Lightning—8%
Hurricanes—7%
Field—7%
I hope we get the rangers. I really do. Perfect opponent to figure out if this team has learned anything. The rangers blew us out twice this year, so we should be ready and fired. If we aren't and we lose again in the 1st round, bye bye Bruce.
I hope we get the rangers. I really do. Perfect opponent to figure out if this team has learned anything. The rangers blew us out twice this year, so we should be ready and fired. If we aren't and we lose again in the 1st round, bye bye Bruce.
Learning lessons is fine, but a tough first round is almost certain death to any long Cup run. No team that has made the Cup finals since the lockout has had a 7 game first round. It'd be tough to expect to beat the Rangers 4 out of 6 given how this year's regular season series went.
Learning lessons is fine, but a tough first round is almost certain death to any long Cup run. No team that has made the Cup finals since the lockout has had a 7 game first round. It'd be tough to expect to beat the Rangers 4 out of 6 given how this year's regular season series went.
Then the Caps should figure out how to beat them without having to go 7 games. Top to bottom, we have more talent than NY (except goalie). Again, there is absolutely no reason this team shouldn't figure out how to beat the Rangers.
honestly Id take the habs. Price is overrated. Hank is too good and nearly got us last time. I want no part of Cam Ward in the playoffs. Tampa scares me because they play like we use to and the last thing we need is to get the first round started getting back into bad habits.
I seriously doubt the Rangers would be beating us 7-0, 6-0 in the playoffs. If we do see them in the first round, I hope we've learned from those games. Plus, we've somehow looked like a different team since that last Rangers game. So who knows. I just want it to be April already.
Then the Caps should figure out how to beat them without having to go 7 games. Top to bottom, we have more talent than NY (except goalie). Again, there is absolutely no reason this team shouldn't figure out how to beat the Rangers.
Lundqvist would definitely steal one game, and probably 2. So now you're saying there is no reason that the Caps shouldn't win 4 out of 4 from the Rangers. Throw in a Caps goalie stinker game and you're looking at a 7 game series.
Easy pick (easy 1st round victory): Tampa—Caps have their number, and they’re not talented enough to adjust their game.
Momentum pick (setting your sights on a good 2nd round): Montreal—Caps can easily defeat this year’s Habs, excising demons for round 2.
Personal pick: Buffalo—Would love to rub a victory in their smug little faces, payback for all the times Sabres fans flooded the arena.
Anti-pick (Does Not Want): NY Rangers—I know the Rags will give the Caps all they‘ve got, especially if they’re still bitter about the playoffs two years ago. A Torts coached team is a tough out.
Same thing I say every year. Who gives a ****? F em all.
Amen . . . especially this year, where it's absolutely clear (at least to me) that the Caps stiffest first round opponent in the playoffs will be . . . . the Caps.
honestly Id take the habs. Price is overrated. Hank is too good and nearly got us last time. I want no part of Cam Ward in the playoffs. Tampa scares me because they play like we use to and the last thing we need is to get the first round started getting back into bad habits.
Hank was good for part of that series. He didn't shut down the Caps every game. Didn't the Caps score 3 or more in 4 of the 7? He wasn't infallible.
Even given the two shutouts this season, I think overall those were two of the Caps most poorly played games of the year. I would hope they play much, much better if and when they meet in the postseason.
Montreal and Tampa don't bother me. For some reason the Hurricanes make me the most nervous. Caps are 5-0 vs them but each game has been tight. Still, overall I think the Caps would win any of those potential first round series, esp. if everyone is healthy and the defense keeps playing like it has been. I'm also sure none of those teams are looking at the Caps and drooling at the prospect of playing them. The Caps won't be an easy out.
Hank was good for part of that series. He didn't shut down the Caps every game. Didn't the Caps score 3 or more in 4 of the 7? He wasn't infallible.
Even given the two shutouts this season, I think overall those were two of the Caps most poorly played games of the year. I would hope they play much, much better if and when they meet in the postseason.
Montreal and Tampa don't bother me. For some reason the Hurricanes make me the most nervous. Caps are 5-0 vs them but each game has been tight. Still, overall I think the Caps would win any of those potential first round series, esp. if everyone is healthy and the defense keeps playing like it has been. I'm also sure none of those teams are looking at the Caps and drooling at the prospect of playing them. The Caps won't be an easy out.
The Caps will be a 2 seed. The 2 seed isn't supposed to be an easy out. What the Caps need is for the other team to be an easy out, since Cup finalists never have 7 game first rounds. Of all the options, the Rangers are definitely the one that has the highest chance of winning 3 or more against Washington.
They're getting the Rags. It was pretty obvious about 5 games ago and it remains so.
I'd be lying if I didn't admit to being a little nervous about it but it is what it is. It's the stupid 8 games left that are pissing me off. Let's get this **** on.
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mrwarden is in ur threads, deleting ur posts
This is exactly how I felt last year. The one team I didn't want was the one team that we were definitely going to get. Makes me wonder if I base my fears of a team on anything hockey related, or just the fact that we're definitely going to play them.
Yeah it's the Rangers, which is both good and bad. Bad news is it's going to be hard work. Good news is they're going to be forced to consistently work. That's a lesson they've been avoiding. If they still don't and it costs them in the 1st round again, there will likely be severe repercussions.
The Rangers are a fine opponent in the first round, they are the only team we've beaten in the playoffs in the OV era, and if last year taught us anything what happens in the regular season doesn't show up very much in the postseason.
i think the rangers are as likely to be a great opponent as a nightmare. heard la greca on nhl live again today going on about the two blow outs with the rangers. both of those fell nicely into a tide change for the caps.
1. the bottom of the losing streak curve
2. the first game home after the season saving road trip. its no coincidence that the caps season making(current) winning trend came immediately after that loss to the rangers.
the rangers are a hard working team, but so can be the capitals. the caps are bigger than the rangers. carlson and alzner have and certainly can shut down gaborik. without gaborik scoring, the rangers lose.
caps could as easily win a rangers series in 4 straight 2-1 games with three in OT as have to go 7 games with one of the rangers wins a blow out.
Damn. I do not want a piece of the Rangers. Crazy as it sounds, I would love to get Pittsburgh in the second round, with Crosby. I also think this year's team would fare better against Montreal.
