Penguins focus on playing well
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Penguins forward Max Talbot on facing the Capitals: "I don't think we'd have any issue with playing Washington because we lost the first three games."
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It's not as if the Penguins have any shortage of incentive to defeat Washington tonight at Mellon Arena.
The two points a victory would yield sure would help in the fight for first place in the Atlantic Division.
Building a little momentum in the days leading up to the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs couldn't hurt, either.
And, hey, winning simply is a lot more fun than the alternative.
But Sidney Crosby believes the one bit of motivation the Penguins shouldn't have when they take on the Capitals at 7:38 p.m. is a desire to gain -- or counter -- any sort of psychological edge in advance of a potential collision in the postseason.
"You could lose 10 times against a team and go into the playoffs and, honestly, I don't think that changes anything [for the best-of-seven]," Crosby said Monday.
"Whether you're on the right side of it or the wrong side of it -- whether you've won six against a team or lost all six, or won all four or lost all four -- I'm not lying to you when I say it doesn't matter in the playoffs. It really doesn't.
• Game: Washington Capitals at Penguins, 7:38 p.m. today, Mellon Arena.
• TV, radio: Versus, WXDX-FM (105.9).
• Probable goaltenders: Marc-Andre Fleury for Penguins. Semyon Varlamov for Capital.
• Penguins: Are 0-3-1 in past four home games against Capitals. ... D Alex Goligoski has one goal in his past 50 games after getting six in first 15. ... Are 24-6-7 in games decided by one goal.
• Capitals: Are 6-0-1 in past seven regular-season games against Penguins. ... RW Mike Knuble has three goals, two assists in three games against Penguins this season. ... Have gone 6-3-3 in second game when playing on consecutive days.
• Of note: Capitals have outscored Penguins, 7-1, during third period in 2009-10 and 16-2 over past two seasons.
"Mentally, it's good, for sure, if you can beat a team, but it means absolutely nothing when you get to the playoffs."
Precedent suggests he has a point. Not that winning a season series is a bad thing, of course, but that the regular season and playoffs often are distinct entities.
Witness 2008-09, when the Penguins went 1-3 against the Capitals in the regular season, but beat them in a seven-game series in the second round of the playoffs.
So, while the Penguins are 0-1-2 against Washington this season, including a 6-3 loss Jan. 21 at Mellon Arena, most of the players have firsthand knowledge that the outcome of a matchup in the second or third round of the 2010 playoffs would not be a fait accompli.
First Published April 6, 2010 12:00 am
