Gameday Preview: Caps vs Predators

Who: Washington Capitals vs. Nashville Predators
Where: Sommet Center, Nashville, TN
When: Tuesday, March 18, 8:00 PM

Broadcast Info: CSN, FSN

Media Notes:
Caps' Site
NHL.com
Washington Times
Washington Post

So here we go, On the Road Again. The Caps will be looking for some Sweet Southern Comfort as they pay a visit to Nashville, home of country music and the Predators, for the first game of a season-high six game road trip. Their motto will have to be Live Like You Were Dying; in other words, leave it all on the ice and put in the hard work we've grown accustomed to seeing. Otherwise When the Sun Goes Down we'll all be singing about our Achy Breaky Heart.

We've got nine games left on the year but we're taking it one day at a time, so strap yourself in and raise a glass as the Caps take on the Preds - after all, It's Five O'Clock Somewhere. And remember, Save a Horse, Ride A Cowboy!

But seriously, folks...this game kicks off a stretch of three games in four nights (not to mention two time zones) that will go a long way toward determining whether the Caps will be playing past April 5th. It won't be an easy task, especially since they're playing a Predators team that is in basically the exact same position - two points out of 8th - followed by a few teams that may be out of it but would love to play spoiler in Chicago and Atlanta.

And then there are those pesky games against Carolina coming up...

That's something to worry about another day, though. Tonight's game is the final game in hand held by the Caps over the Canes and Panthers and a win is pretty much needed to keep them in the race for the division title. Atlanta takes on Philly at the same time, so if the Caps can pull it out and if the Thrashers can manage a win we've got ourselves a whole new ball game. Hey, it could happen!

As the Caps pay their first and only visit to the land of the Grand Ole Opry, it seems fitting to continue embracing the country music flavor that will surround our boys for about 24 hours. Here's a little sampling of what some of the boys might be listening to (although sadly we were unable to find just the right player for "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk"...shame):

Alex Ovechkin It Just Comes Natural - George Strait
Quintin Laing Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof - Travis Tritt
Steve Eminger I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams, Jr
Tom Poti How Do You Like Me Now? - Toby Keith
Alexander Semin If I Fall You're Going Down with Me - Dixie Chicks
Shaone Morrisonn You're My Better Half - Keith Urban
Brooks Laich When You're Hot You're Hot - Jerry Reed
Olie Kolzig You're Still the One - Shania Twain
John Erskine Big Bad John - Jimmy Dean
Nicklas Backstrom A Real Fine Place to Start - Sara Evans
Brent Johnson Three's a Crowd - Justin Trevino
Sergei Fedorov As Good As I Once Was - Toby Keith
Viktor Kozlov Slow Hand - Conway Twitty

And of course, what tribute to Nashville would be complete without possibly the greatest country song ever written - with a Cheap Seats twist.

We Need Friends in Low Places
(to the tune of I Got Friends in Low Places - apologies to Garth Brooks)
Such a promising start
Then it all fell apart,
And our hopefulness turned to fear,
The last ones to score,
We all thought for sure
It was destined to be a long year

But the tide slowly turned,
With each standings point earned
And we find ourselves so very close
Now we'll just make amends
Our enemies become friends
Which team will help us the most?

'Cause we need friends in low places,
When the Thrashers win
And the Penguins chase all the teams away
We'll be okay.
Desperate times like playoff races
Bring the evil teams into loving embraces.
Yes, we need friends
In low places.

It's a horrible time,
There's no reason or rhyme,
And you have to just blindly pray
That the bad guys prevail
All the teams ahead fail
And the Caps will emerge from the fray...

Hey, it may sound absurd
To say a kind word
About teams we usually hate
But if we can cash in
When someone we despise wins
It's hard to get all that irate!

'Cause we need friends in low places,
When the Thrashers win
And the Penguins chase all the teams away
We'll be okay
Desperate times like playoff races
Bring the evil teams into loving embraces
Yes, we need friends
In low places.

Oh, we need friends in low places,
When the Lightning strike
And the Devils put all the teams to sleep
The rewards we'll reap.
The Isles can win all the games they want to
If it helps us out they get a big ol' thank you!
Yes, we need friends
In low places.