Washington Capitals: 2018-19 Schedule offers something for everybody

The Washington Capitals know their 2018-19 regular season schedule. A long February road trip and lots of chances to celebrate are the highlights.

The regular season road back to the Stanley Cup Finals begins for the Washington Capitals at home on October 3 against the Boston Bruins. It ends on Saturday, April 6 again at home versus Barry Trotz’s New York Islanders.

If successful, the Caps will head into April with their fifth consecutive Metropolitan Division title. Now, their road map to grab another title is on the table.

October is an intense starting month. Aside from raising the banner against the Bruins, the next night sees the Caps travel to Pittsburgh for the Penguins home opener. If that was not enough emotional overload, the third game of the season is a Finals rematch against the Vegas Golden Knights slated for NBCSN on October 10.

Once the pomp and circumstance wears off, the first west coast road trip starts on the 22nd in Vancouver. On the 25th, Washington faces Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers then Calgary two days later in a rare Saturday afternoon game.

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A ten-game October runs into a 15-game November.

The Oilers return on November 5th and the Penguins two nights later on Wednesday the 7th. A run of Friday night games begins on the 9th with a first-round rematch versus Columbus making their first visit since this spring.

Detroit comes in the day after Thanksgiving with a quick trip to New York and the Rangers for another matinee to follow. The first game against the Isles follows on Monday the 26th. Add two games in Montreal and a three-game swing through the Western Conference and this is a busy month.

December features the return to where Washington won the Stanley Cup. Vegas will host the Caps on the 4th. On the home front, Jack Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres visit on the 15th and 21 while Washington visits Ottawa on consecutive Saturdays, the 22nd and 29th.

Nashville comes to the Capital One Arena for a New Year’s Eve matinee at 12:30. A tidy 13 game month with the annual Christmas break thrown in.

January features a bye week at the end and the first game of the season versus the Philadelphia Flyers. They come calling on the 8th. There are 12 games in total on the docket with what looks like an NBC game in Chicago on the 20th at 12:30. A good appetizer for that day’s NFL Conference Championship doubleheader.

Washington opens February with a six-game home stand over the first 11 days then has another west coast swing and a trip to the Golden Horseshoe over the next 12. San Jose, Anaheim and the Los Angeles Kings are the highlights. Enjoy some caffeine as the Sharks and Kings games start at 10:30 on the 14th and 18th.

What better way to spend Valentines Day than watching San Jose.

The 14-game month ends at home. Two games are slotted for NBC. A Super Bowl Sunday home tilt versus the Bruins and the Rangers call on the 24th for a 12:30 puck drop.

March, the last full month, starts with Washington’s first trip to Long Island in a few years. The Islanders will play select games at the revamped Nassau Coliseum with the Caps there the night of the 1st.

NBC has the Rangers hosting DC on the 3rd and the Flyers in town the 24th. Washington finally gets their Eastern Conference Finals rematch with Tampa Bay. The Lightning host two Saturday night games on the 16th and 30th with the lone DC game on Wednesday night the 20th. Pittsburgh hosts the last regular season meeting on the 12th.

April features three games before the playoffs. After a game in Florida on the 1st, Montreal is the last weeknight game before the season closes.

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Although November is the busiest month, February features that long cross-country six-game road trip. Another shorter one follows in March, but hopefully the playoffs will be well in hand by then for the Washington Capitals.

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