This is where the Isles play. That’s not where the Caps will play today and it’s not the place where the team they’re playing today plays, but it’s the place where the team they’re playing next week will play and how much they’ll play there depends on how the Caps play against the team they’re playing today. Please don’t make this more complicated than it needs to be dammit, this is the final #rego pregamer of the season. Don’t make a scene.

The New York Islanders. They’re not the team the Caps will play; they’re just the team the Caps will be thinking about as they play today. The Penguins’ loss last night (p.s. ha) means the Caps and Isles will certainly meet next week in the first round of the playoffs. The only question is how many games the Caps will have to play at Nassau. If the Capitals win today, it’ll be less. Errr… fewer. Dammit, final pregame of the season and I can’t remember which word to use.

Anyway, Caps and Rangers at home at noon thirty on CSN. Right in the middle of your beautiful Saturday when you’d otherwise be gardening.

Projected Lineup

It’s the final lineup (awful keyboard riff goes here) as told by Alex Prewitt.

Ovechkin — Kuznetsov — Ward
Johansson — Backstrom — Brouwer
Glencross — Laich— Chimera
Burakovsky — Latta — Galiev

Orpik – Carlson
Alzner – Niskanen
Green – Gleason

Holtby

Best Thing on the Internet Today

I don’t know what this longrat was thinking.

Storylines

• No Jay Beagle. No Eric Fehr. Dmitry Orlov is healthy, but I doubt he’ll get a sweater because cash rules everything around me cream get the money dollar dollar bills y’all.
• I wrote a thing.
• The New York Rangers have secured the Presidents’ Trophy, which is not actually cursed. Really, it’s not. The Rags have had the league’s highest PDO this season– 5th highest 5v5 shooting and 5th highest 5v5 saving.
• If Braden Holtby starts today, he’ll become the Highlander. Or something like that. He’d tie Kolzig’s high-water mark for appearances.
• Working on Iron Man 82-game seasons: Backstrom, Carlson, Johansson, Brouwer, Ward, Niskanen, Alzner. Bravo, dudes.
• This won’t be decided until tonight, but either the Bruins or the Penguins are gonna miss the dance. Pittsburgh plays Buffalo tonight, and Boston plays the Bolts. Hahaha. Grab the popcorn.

The Freaking Standings

Plus, here’s your boy Alex to explain the playoff impact.

The full scenarios:
Caps W: Clinch home ice
Caps L in OT/SO: Need any Isles loss, or Isles SO win.
Caps lose in reg: Need any Isles loss.

— Alex Prewitt (@alex_prewitt) April 11, 2015

Full RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Rangers