Being the number-one seed is nice and all - you get home ice throughout the playoffs, and obviously, it means you're a good team - but I have to think, it's not worth the trouble.
The Washington Capitals are trying to shake a reputation for choking when it matters, and, the easier the opponent is perceived to be, the higher the pressure.
If the Caps lose to the Penguins, well it sucks, but there is a dignity in that kind of loss. There is never any shame in losing to the defensing Champions; your greatest rival.
And the crazy thing - it's happening. That's not to say the Capitals are going to lose. The odds are heavily in their favor. However, the #1 has now gone five games against the #8 and been shown vulnerable.
Either of these teams could already have won four games. It's been an even series; but even goes to the dog - that's how these things work.
Four games to overtime. The fifth, the best one the Caps played, won on a blooper.
That builds the pressure. And this is how hockey works: Win, and no one will remember the trouble you had with the Leafs.
Beat the Leafs, and cruise to the finals. I stop just short of guaranteeing it. The Capitals are facing their biggest challenge right now. A team that isn't supposed to be this good, but is. The biggest problem facing the Capitals is that all that pressure stuff, all that psychology - it's unfair because the Leafs are a good team.
If we've learned anything, it's about the parity of the NHL. The #8th seed isn't far removed from the first seed.
Salary Caps will do that.
The Capitals will play tonight with Nate Schmidt instead of Karl Alzner, so that is good news for them. Ovechkin is fine after that completely legal hip-check in which the only reason he was even hurt was that he tried to get out of the way of it.
Check these stats:
- Four of five games to O.T - Washington 51.33 CF% to 48.67% - Andersen 92.80 Holtby 91.38% (5v5 save %) - xGoals Tor 2.58 Wsh 2.51 - PDO Tor 100.42 WSH 99.58 - Penalty differential: Tor +2 Wash -2 - PP Goals Wash 5 Tor 3 - Total Shots (not just 5v5) 175 each
I mean, look at that last one. In a series where every game has been decided by one goal, a two PPG spread is essentially the difference.
It's one thing to be challenged by a worse team because they get a couple of good bounces and win because of a goalie or good luck. For exhibit A, please see the St.Louis Blues.
But it's an entirely different thing to be facing a team that matches you minute by minute, pound for pound.
After six games of previewing this series, I don't know what else to say.
Flip a coin, that's who's gonna win.
Stats corsica.hockey