Caps/Canes pregame

Oh lord, this again.

Divisional rivalries are interesting no matter what, but I can't help feeling that the Canes are the annoying, pesky little brothers of the Southeast--not really dangerous but always around, bothering people, tracking mud onto the carpet, bringing bugs into the house. They just don't go away. 

SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS

With the, uh--controversial never-shoot style of hockey that the Caps have been playing lately, every team is a potential threat, and as Coach Muller showed us last week, these are not your grandmother's Hurricanes. They're worth keeping an eye on--they haven't beat the Caps yet this season, but last game they outshot them 24 to 44, which was in fact a season high for the Canes. 

I know both our goalies are playing well again, and that's great, but it's still not very nice to do that to them. If the Caps really loved them, they'd make a little more offense happen tonight. 

JEFF SKINNER HAS DECIDED TO BE EVIL

This is fact. 

I know he still looks the same--all rosy-cheeked and cherubic, snakes and snails and puppy dog tails, but please do not be fooled. This boy has crossed to the dark side. Remember his slashing and chirping from last game? Remember the unnecessary scrum he started after the game ended? Mr. Skinner is going through his teenage rebellion phase on national TV, and we are witnessing it. Caps should probably just kind of assume that he's going to be a problem, because chances are he's going to try some shit. 

CANES KILLAH

Alex Semin scored the last time we played the Canes, which is basically the same thing as saying that the sun rose in the morning. Semin has 27 goals in 39 career games against Carolina, more than he's scored against any other team. 

Alex Semin will probably score. And you will like it. 

Our division lead has gotten just slightly, slightly less precarious--we're hanging on by our fingertips now instead of just our fingernails. Every game is important right now though. Every game is a character game, there's not really much time for trial and error anymore--and points. I warned you. From here on out, I'm obsessed with tiny numbers and the way they add up. 

So win another hockey game, team. We love it when you do that. 

Let's go Caps.