Ben Sumner
Even though the round robin games meant very little, only Boston appeared less prepared than the Caps. Teams that tend to do well in the playoffs often get hot at the end of the regular season, so the Caps will have to find new momentum (unless they’re still on Cloud 9 from that 2-1 win) to play competitively. The Islanders, however, fresh off a series win against Florida, have that momentum, which gives them an edge going into this series. That, plus Barry Trotz’s complete understanding of the Caps’ system, is a major advantage for New York.