The Peerless Prognosticator is ON THE AIR!!! -- Caps vs. Islanders, March 10th

The Peerless Prognosticator is ON THE AIR!!!

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more,
Or close the wall up with our Capitals dead!
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility,
But when the blast of hockey blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger . . .

OK, enough of that Henry V crap. The Caps go a’traveling in the back half of their back-to-back games to Uniondale, NY, to take on the New York Islanders. Having just played the Islanders last Saturday, there really isn’t much to update in terms of the Islanders’ recent statistics (so we’ll refer you back to what we said last week), only to say that since that 6-2 thrashing of the Caps the Isles have lost both games they’ve played since – both being 2-1 results against the Rangers (one of which was a shootout loss).

Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favored rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect:
Let it pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a gallèd rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swilled with the wild and wasteful ocean.

Oh, that reminds me . . . it’ll be another chance to renew acquaintances with the master of the menacing glare, Brendan Witt. The Islanders are a feisty bunch, as you can see from this exclusive video:

The Islanders are fifth in the NHL in total shorthanded situations and 22^nd in penalty killing. Guys…that’s a clue. Think maybe you can get your power play untracked?

Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height! On, on, you noble Capitals,
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof,
Fathers that like so many Alexanders
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument.

The Islanders will bring a 60-minute effort . . . if the Caps fail to match it, then is will be a long evening. Given the circumstances – the second of a back-to-back, on the road, that will be a test of character.

Dishonor not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you called fathers did beget you!
Be copy now to men of grosser blood
And teach them how to war! And you, good yeomen,
Whose limbs were made in Canada (and Russia and America
And Czech and Slovakia), show us here
The mettle of your pasture. Let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not,
For there is none of you so mean and base
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.

Gotta suck it up, boys. That’s part of learning how to win in this league. The Islanders are fighting for a playoff spot (three points ahead of the ninth-place Rangers this morning), so they won’t go easily.

I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot!
Follow your spirit; and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Teddy! The Capitals and Saint George!'

Caps 4 – Islanders 3.