First, a little context is required.
One team is the two-time Presidents Trophy winner. The other is the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion. Which would you rather be?
Such is the backstory to Friday night’s big Metropolitan Division tussle between the first-place Capitals and the second-place Penguins.
“It’s always a huge game against them,” said Kris Letang. “It’s a big game. They’re always at the top of our division. Obviously, we all know that rivalry with Sid and Ovie, Geno. All kinds of star power on each side. It’s always a fun game to be part of and it’s an important one for us.”
With a regulation win, which would be their fourth win in a row and 10th in the last 13, the Penguins can pull to within four points of the Capitals.
Would they like to beat the Capitals? Would they like to win the division? Yes, and absolutely yes.
Do they need to? History, emphatically, says no.
The Penguins have won the Cup two years in a row, the first team to do so in nearly two decades, by finishing second to you-know-who in the Metro. Not only winning the Cup, but doing so by beating the Capitals in new and excruciating ways.
But the Penguins aren’t looking past Friday, let alone to what might — repeat, might — happen, given the tightness of the standings, in May.
“We’re just trying to get better every day, that’s been our focus,” said Mike Sullivan, who is yet to lose a playoff round to the Capitals or anyone else as Penguins coach. “We’re all aware of the standings. The players are aware. The coaching staff is aware of where everyone sits and how tight the races are. We all watch hockey and all love the game. It’s a great opportunity in front of us, but our focus has to be short-term and short-sighted.”
No banners will be won or lost Friday night, but it’s an opportunity to measure the progress the Penguins have made in the last month. And certainly the progress they’ve made since they last faced the Capitals, a 4-1 loss on Nov. 11 in Washington that dropped them to 9-7.
Remember that game? T.J. Oshie tipped in what proved to be the game-winner late in the second period:
Though they’ve combined for only 23 penalty minutes in the first two meetings this season, tempers usually run high against the Capitals.
“It’s a great opportunity,” said Sidney Crosby. “We have done a lot of good things. We’re going to be challenged, especially (Friday) night just with the intensity. The emotion kind of escalates when a little more is on the line. You have to be able to raise your level as a team. Good teams are able to do that. It’ll be important for us to do that (Friday) night.”
