Capitals vs. Penguins: A must win in the Steel City

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 23: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates with the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at Capital One Arena on February 23, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 23: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates with the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at Capital One Arena on February 23, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

The Washington Capitals were once the hottest team in hockey. Now they’re one of the most desperate.

What once was a commanding lead in the Metropolitan Division has become a tie with the Philadelphia Flyers at 87 points each and it didn’t help the Washington Capitals case losing to them for the second straight time.

The Capitals followed that up with an overtime loss to the New York Rangers to begin a three-game road trip.

At least they came away with a point but still.

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The playoffs are a month away and if this recent Capitals team is the one that shows up to the dance expect another early exit. I hope we’re wrong and they correct the mistakes in the homestretch. They can start with a win in Pittsburgh against a Penguins team also on their tail.

The Caps and Penguins have split the season series so far and both remaining games are at PPG Arena. The Caps won the most recent game and then traded for Ilya Kovalchuk hours later.

Things haven’t quite panned out as everyone would like thus far. Washington is 10-12-2 against Metro Division foes this season but carries a 22-10-2 mark on the road this season. Even so, it’s a must win game this Saturday.

Can the Caps change their fortunes and bounce back against their bitter rivals? Here’s how to find out.

Date: Saturday March 7, 2020
Time: 1 p.m.
Where: PPG Arena
TV Broadcast: NBC Sports Washington, NHL Network
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, Caps Radio 24/7
Live Streaming: ESPN+ has a free 7-day trial that includes live streaming for this game on all your smart devices! Besides NHL games, ESPN+ features a selection of live games from MLB, MLS, Serie A, FA Cup, and EFL. Get in on the action with Live UFC Fight Nights, 30+ Top Rank Boxing cards, Grand Slam tennis from Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open.