Let's Play Charades

I love these meaningless games at the end of the season, don't you?

Tonight the Caps travel to Bahston for a little pahking the cah in the Hahvahd yahd...oh, and they might play a hockey game, too (although it's not a guarantee). We don't even get to play spoilers in this one. The B's have done a fine job of doing that for themselves.

While the first three games between these teams have been pretty exciting, with all three ending in a 3-2 Caps OT/SO loss, it's still hard to get too pumped up. Let's be honest, this is a classic case of two teams going through the motions, killing time until golf season starts again. The hockey equivalent of closing your eyes and thinking of England, if you will. This isn't a game, it's a charade - hence the lack of gameday preview. See how that works?

Now I'm sure some helpful citizen will point out the following fact, so let me save you the trouble and say it myself - Boston's not out of the playoff hunt just yet.

To that I reply...uh-huh. Sure.

And Sidney Crosby doesn't wear lipstick, either.

The point is this - tonight's game is worth watching for one reason and one reason only: the triumphant return of Olie Kolzig. I have to admit I'm a little upset that he's starting this game because it probably means Johnson will be in net for Friday's game against the Leafs. And I'm going. With people who aren't hockey fans. So...it's probably safe to say that they won't be hockey fans after the game, either. (Sorry, Johnny.)

Still, it will be nice to see the big guy back where he belongs, and there's no denying the importance of his presence to this team as they stumble through the end of the season. He's the veteran, the voice in the locker room, the shards of broken stick on the ice that gives the Caps that extra kick in the pants that they so often need. We might see a little fire in their game tonight, which would be nice after the oatmeal we've watched night after night since he got injured.

One thing to consider for all those perched precariously on the ledge, waiting to jump off - a note courtesy of WashingtonCaps.com/Mike Vogel in all his awesomeness:

Washington enters tonight's game having lost eight in a row (0-6-2), the Capitals' longest skid since an eight-game stretch of March last season (0-5-3 from March 10-23). The Capitals rebounded from that losing streak to post a 7-3-3 record over the final 13 games of 2005-06.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
(Sorry, had to get one more tired cliché in - I'm going for a record with this post.)

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