The crowded Southeast Division took a turn for the absurd on Wednesday. With their 3-2 shootout loss to Atlanta, the Capitals found themselves in a three-way tie for first place with the Thrashers (28-27-4, 60 points) and Carolina Hurricanes (28-27-4, 60 points) entering Thursday night’s action.
Washington (27-25-6, 60 points) was technically ahead because of fewer losses. But any slip up will prove costly, beginning tonight at the Florida Panthers (26-27-6, 58 points), who themselves sit just two points behind in the Southeast.
“We can’t be satisfied with [the Atlanta game],” Caps defenseman Mike Green said afterwards. “Every point is going to count here. And against the division these are huge, huge points. But we did battle back and showed a little bit of courage there at the end.”
That courage came off the stick of forward Alex Ovechkin, who was hounded all night by the Thrashers. But with 81 seconds remaining, and the Caps down 2-1, he found space on the left wing thanks to a tap pass from teammate Nicklas Backstrom and buried a shot past Atlanta goalie Kari Lehtonen. That gained the Caps a shootout point in a game where they outshot the Thrashers, 41-28.
“It’s going to be the same [the rest of the season],” Ovechkin said. “Tight. Right now it’s like the playoffs start for us. And for Atlanta and Tampa and Florida and Carolina.”
The Caps have struggled in recent years against Florida, but hope to reverse that trend after a pair of wins over the Panthers in December and January. The road trip continues Saturday at Tampa Bay, where even the Lightening (24-27-6, 54 points)— with the worst record in the entire Eastern Conference — remain in the division race.
Road Trip
» The Caps continue a stretch of four road games against Southeast Division rivals in 10 days when they face Florida tonight at BankAtlantic Center. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.
» Florida center Olli Jokinen leads his team in goals (29), assists (29) and points (58). He has three goals and an assist in four meetings with the Caps so far.
» Washington has won just twice in its last 10 games at BankAtlantic Center.
