Capitals vs. Islanders Preview: April 6, 2019

by Wesley Hunt · Published April 6, 2019 · Updated April 6, 2019

In the regular season finale, the Washington Capitals will play at home against division rivals the New York Islanders. Coach Barry Trotz switched from Washington last season to turn the Islanders into an instant playoff team, but Washington has still remained one step ahead of the New York Squad. With the recall of Nathan Walker from Hershey, it looks like the Caps are ready to rest their starters for the last game. Both teams are ready for one last grudge match before the playoffs.

Washington has 104 points and is 48-25-8 overall. With a win tonight, they would be 7-2-1, just one point below last year at this time. The 2014-15 Blackhawks were the last team to win the Stanley Cup with a 4-6-0 record or worse for their last ten games, so the Caps are still in good shape come playoff time. New York meanwhile has a strong turnaround with 101 points and a 47-27-7 record. With 2.93 goals against average, the Isle lead the league in this stat. The Caps have clinched first in the Metro no matter what, and the Islanders are guaranteed second place. If the two teams are to meet again, it would have to be in the second round.

These teams have played each other three times this season, with the Caps leading the series 2-1. First was a 4-1 win in Nassau on November 26. Then, the Islanders won 2-0 in Barry Trotz’s first visit to Washington since winning the Cup. And then, on March 1, the Caps won 3-1 again in Long Island. Even though these two teams know their playoff fates, they still look to bring good hockey and a competitive rivalry to close out the season.