Washington Capitals players run the gamut from being plugged into all the NHL playoff scenarios to having no clue what else is going on.
“It’s a really big game for us and them,” rookie defenseman Vincent Iorio said Sunday ahead of facing the Boston Bruins on Monday night. “They’re trying to, I don’t know exactly what they’re trying to do, but we know what we’re trying to do.”
Win the division, but who’s counting? Seven of the eight games around the league Monday night have some impact on the postseason picture, whether it’s who gets in or where teams are seeded.
The heat is really on in the East, where the New York Islanders can clinch a spot by winning at rival New Jersey. Meanwhile, the Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins against Nashville and Detroit Red Wings against Montreal are all trying to stay in the mix.
“We’ve just been handling it and I’ve just handled it as we have over the last two-plus months of staying in the moment and focusing on the day’s opponent that’s in front of us, and then once we get through that, we move on to the next one,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. “It gets a little bit different as we get down to really the final two games, making sure that everybody’s understanding of the circumstances but we’re not overblowing any situation or any game.”
