Coach Adam Oates has remained consistently confident in the Capitals' ability to succeed no matter what stage of the season they were in. Tuesday night, they rewarded his faith and clinched the Southeast Division title.
The Capitals are well aware of the stakes, that they can secure a postseason berth with a regulation or overtime win against Winnipeg tonight and they're raring to go.
It's been a few weeks since the Capitals looked out of sorts for much of a game, but they must ensure that their 'sloppy' play was just a one-game blip.
More damaging than the end of the Capitals' winning streak could be the loss of Nicklas Backstrom, who took a puck off his left arm Thursday night in Ottawa.
The Capitals thought there should have been a penalty on Jay McClement's hit that sent Nicklas Backstrom into the boards in the first period Tuesday night.