Mike Wilbon Picks Capitals vs Blackhawks as his Finals Matchup For 2nd Straight Year.

Last year before the season started, Washington Post columnist and NBA player name dropper Mike Wilbon picked his preseason Stanley Cup Matchup; Washington Capitals vs Chicago Blackhawks.  Well he was half wrong.

The Blackhawks went on to win the Stanley Cup while the Capitals sort of creeped into the playoffs (although winning the division) before being eliminated in the first round.

And just hours before the season opener, Wilbon has once again picked his Stanley Cup Matchup; Washington Capitals vs Chicago Blackhawks...again.

"They [Blackhawks] begin against the Washington Capitals, in what I am calling a preview of the NHL Finals" -MW

Kornheiser, when asked which would be better, the Hawks repeating or Ovechkin finally winning a championship, said both would be good.  He added that Ovi winning would be good for I-95 (what?) before crushing him with facts seconds later.

"It's also a good thing, for I-95, if Alex Ovechkin not only finally wins a championship...he's never even gotten to the conference finals, he has been a 3x MVP, a total dud in the playoffs, most recently" -TK

Then Wilbon kind of yammered about the Caps needing to start fast, and yada yada yada before exclaiming how much he loves the Blackhawks.  He didn't even mention Michael Jordan...

Caps Look Terrible, Losing By Only 3 Was A Miracle

The Capitals lost to the Blackhawks 5-2 in Chicago on Sunday night and picked up another loss on the roadtrip from Hell that could cost them a playoff spot.  The Blackhawks weren’t dumping and chasing. They were taking the puck across the blue line undefended and getting great shots.

A terrible first period with bad defense, no energy, no forechecking, and an offense that didn't get their first shot until 16 minutes into the game really put the Caps in a bad spot for the rest of the game.

The Hawks scored twice in the first frame, the 2nd goal for the Blackhawks was a loose puck headed towards the Capitals Zone that Orlov jogged after while a speedy Hawk Stalburg swooped in like the Flash and with Orlov surprised put in a breakaway move on Neuvy.

Mike Knuble scored a huge goal in the second period (and he may be out of his slump) to cut the lead to 2-1 but the Blackhawks scored again a few minutes later to make it 3-1 and then again on a wrap around that outwrapped Neuvy's sliding leg to give the B-hawks a 4-1 lead.

Ovi went coast to coast and through the legs on the toedrag move to give the caps a second goal, vintage Ovechkin.  This goal probably made the success rate of his move this season somewhere around 5%.  The goal was huge because it cut the lead to 2 going into the final period.

The Caps couldn't do anything in the 3rd and their offense was just bland, boring, with no energy until the final 4 minutes when it was too late.  Redwings tomorrow followed by Flyers on Wedensday to end the Road Trip from Hell.