The Capitals are beginning to wrap-up their league-required bye-week this week, and will “re-enter” the race to the regular-season finish line on Saturday. But with just 26 games remaining, getting back to winning ways may not be so easy.
Back-in-Shape
The first challenge will be getting back into playing shape. The “re-entry” from the bye-week has not gone well for other teams to this point.
NHL teams are 3-9 after the five-day break
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 14, 2017
Back-2-Backs Right Off the Bat
The second challenge will be playing a back-to-back set of road games this weekend (in Detroit and New York). The Capitals will reunite at Kettler on Friday, hold one practice and leave immediately for Detroit. To top it off, both games are afternoon matinées, 2:00pm and 12:30PM respectively.
Conditioned Opposition
The Capitals will be facing teams that have continued to battle, while the Capitals were “drinking lots of carrot juice and soaking up rays“. Both the Red Wings and Rangers have played three games since the Capitals went on break.
Road Work
Four of the Capitals first five games back will be on the road, including a pair against the surging New York Rangers at the garden. The Capitals remaining schedule for the Capitals:
Factor in outside risks such as enhanced chances,of injury, reduced level of play, and the fact that a stop sign is place smack dab in the middle of a playoff run, and we can see why George Foussekis wants to get rid of the NHL’s new “bye-week“.
By Jon Sorensen
Follow @NoVa_Caps
5 of 6 to cover the pair of games against the Rangers but we get the point.