SaucyJack

If you’d wagered in time, before Washington scored to reduce the lead to 3-1, $10 for Caps to win would have paid $300. (Now, $110)

Panarin is New York’s bread. Who is their butter?

Two Caps defending behind the net instead of one leave Rempe open for the first NYR goal and then bam! another.

Panarin looked ready to pull the trigger on the power play but perhaps bad MSG ice made it bounce off his stick?

Nice to see the shout-outs to Papa and Brother Lindgren in the stands. With Charlie and Ryan opposing each other, their emotional dissonance must be difficult. (But some pride to go with it.)

No doubt; must be low-scoring series for the Washingtonians… …blue-liners Rasmus Sandin and Nick Jensen remain out. Will need good work from young’un Vincent Iorio and journeyman Dylan McIlrath.

This is the Rangers-Caps bleedin’ thread.

Save us, Saint Charlie With the help of back-checking angels

The honor of bagging the final goal of the season goes to Adrian Kempe of the LA Kings, over Chicago in OT, capping a late comeback that forces a seemingly gargantuan first round playoff matchup between mighty Dallas and defending champs Vegas!

Toronto is surely grateful to be playing anyone other than the Lightning Bolts in round one. (As they were reminded of, just last night ) OK, does that add, or lessen, the pressure on and expectations of the Maple Leafs in this series vs the Bruins?

Call me a Scheduling Nerd (“You’re a bleedin’ schedule nerd!”) but I find it at least somewhat remarkable, here on the last night of the regular season, that there are three contests where a club is making their one and only appearance at their opponent’s rink: - Kraken at Wild - Canucks at Jets - Oilers at Avalanche In each case, the first two games of the season series were played at the other team’s arena. OK, yes…perhaps a full frontal nerdity warning should have been issued at the start of this post.

They were tremendous in April, but for one fatal night where they lost at home to Washington 2-1.

I see I picked the most popular choice just now. (I did not peek first, honest!) Caps win game 3 on an Ovi power play goal in OT.

Not for Philly…but it would have eliminated Washington because Detroit won their game. (Wings would have been one point above the Caps.)

Yes, both in Buffalo, but I thought that was telling, too. Games were not close, Sabres totally outplayed the Caps. All the more surprising how Washington did in their last 3, earning the full 6 points, to survive.

Do not expect another #8 over #1 here, like Panthers over Bruins last year. This year’s #8 in the East has had season-long difficulties in finishing an adequate % of good scoring chances. Caps PxP man Joe Beninati even mentioned it late in the 2nd period on Monday night, in a 1-0 game where the Caps should have been 3-0 or better on Boston. At least at the very end, Washington back-checked very well, limiting chances by their higher-skilled opponents, earning low-scoring victories. That’s their one forté this season. Their record in 1-goal games is something like 13-2. It is so rare to see Washington blow anyone out, while they get blown out with some regularity. Hence the worst team +/- of any playoff team since 1991, back when 16 of 21 qualified. (Or so I heard said on TV today.) Maybe Ovechkin can bag an OT winner for the first time. Haven’t decided on the spread yet, but it would surprise to see the Rags lose this. (President’s Trophy curse notwithstanding.)

Yeah despite all the older guys, playoff experience for the youngsters (even if only one round against the Rangers) will be invaluable for McMichael, Lapierre, Protas, Alexeyev, Fehervary, Sandin, Iorio…and even the guys a bit older like Milano, Aube-Kubel, Malenstyn, and I’ll throw in Dylan Strome, too, who must come up large if we hope earn a first round upset.

Detroit and Pittsburgh are justifiably pissed off at that decision. It was still 50/50 for the Flyers to spoil it all for Washington.

Spencer Carbery, over achieving in his first year with the Caps. Well done, lads.

Let’s keep that President’s Cup curse going.

Flyers looking like they could spoil things for the Capitals. 30 seconds to go. Nope, didn’t happen.

Has a team ever earned a playoff spot by taking the lead on an empty netter? (Did the Flyers know when pulling the goalie that Detroit had just tied their game with 3.3 seconds remaining?)

That is the question. Will Philly’s extra rest make the difference in the third?