Game #45
Caps (27-11-6, 60 points) at Tampa Bay Lightning (17-17-10, 44 points)
The next two days conclude a stretch where the Caps will have played 18 road games with just nine at Verizon Center since Nov. 14. That’s a lot of mileage criss-crossing the continent. The next three weeks will be a lot easier. Nine home games between now and Feb. 7. Short trips to Pittsburgh, Long Island, Boston and Manhattan.
Washington has won a franchise-record 12 in a row against Tampa Bay dating back to Nov. 16, 2007. That was just a week before Bruce Boudreau took over as Caps interim coach. He has never lost to the Lightning, which is kind of amazing considering it seems like the two teams play all the time. Seven of those 12 wins have come at St. Pete Times Forum, where they meet tonight. Only once have the Caps produced a longer road winning streak against one club – the Islanders from 1997 to 2001.
The Lightning are still hanging around the playoff race just four back of eighth-place Montreal (22-21-4, 48 points) in the Eastern Conference. Veteran winger Martin St. Louis ranks 10th in the NHL in points (49) and leads Tampa in scoring. Second-year center Steve Stamkos is right behind with 44 and star center Vincent Lecavalier is starting to pick things up after a poor – for him – start to the season. He has 40 points (10 goals, 30 assists). Forward Ryan Malone – who will play for the United States at the Winter Olympics next month in Vancouver – has 19 goals and 18 assists (37 points). Lightning don’t have much offensive depth, though. Alex Tanguay is next with 22 points. Washington has eight different players with 22 points or more.
Remember this while worrying that the Caps had plane trouble delayed their arrival in Atlanta on Saturday and then had their morning skate canceled today beause the circus just left Tampa Bay (not kidding): The Lighting played three days in a row over the weekend after their game at New Jersey on Friday was suspended midway through the second period because of a power outage. Tampa Bay played its scheduled game in Philadelphia the next night and then returned to Newark to finish the Devils game on Sunday. It held on to win, 4-2.
Caps lead the Southeast Division by 16 points over Tampa Bay and Atlanta (19-19-6, 44 points), who are tied for second place. Washington is in third in the Eastern Conference, one point behind Buffalo (28-11-5, 61 points) and two behind New Jersey (31-11-1, 63 points). Out west – Chicago (31-11-4, 66 points) still holds the best record in the NHL with San Jose (29-10-7, 65 points) right behind it. Caps play the Blackhawks at United Center on March 14, which could be one of the year’s best games.
