The Washington Capitals could move into a playoff spot with a victory over the Calgary Flames
Like that stink bug that crawls into an impossible-to-reach crevice in your house, the 2023-24 Washington Capitals just aren’t going away. Left for dead months ago, (also like a stink bug) the Capitals are 10-7-2 since returning from their bye week, earning 22 out of a possible 38 standings points.
With their victory Saturday over the Western Conference’s best team, the Vancouver Canucks, the Capitals put themselves in position to do something amazing on Monday.
If the Capitals defeat the Calgary Flames, they will move into the second and final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, leap-frogging the current occupant, the Detroit Red Wings, who do not play tonight.
The Capitals are also three points out from the Philadelphia Flyers, who currently hold the third and final guaranteed playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals hold two games in hand on them.
The Capitals’ current situation has excited radio voice of the team, John Walton, so much that he posted the hashtag #ItsOkToBelieve again on Twitter.
The Capitals’ current playoff odds, which Money Puck had under 5 percent two months ago, have increased greatly. Money Puck currently has the Capitals’ odds as 37.8% while ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski shared Stathletes’ numbers, which has Washington’s chances slightly better than a coin flip.
WESTPreds: 96.7%Kings: 89.8%VGK: 84.6%Wild: 13.6%Blues: 5.4%Flames: 4.8%
