In Week 26, the Washington Capitals will get a pre-playoff chance to see just where they stand relative to three teams who are bona fide contenders for a Stanley Cup, all of whom have faced the Capitals in the postseason in recent years. And as if to test the waters further, they end their week with back-to-back matinee games.
The Opponents
Tampa Bay Lightning (Wednesday/7:00pm – Capital One Arena)
On March 6th, the Tampa Bay Lightning were the class of the Atlantic Division. They were in a dogfight with the Florida Panthers for the division lead, but they did hold a one-point advantage with both teams having played 55 games.