Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

NBC Game of the Week - March 13th: Chicago at Washington

Nicklas Backstrom, Duncan Keith

Washington Capitals’ Nicklas Backstrom, left, controls the puck against Chicago Blackhawks’ Duncan Keith during the overtime period of an NHL hockey game in Chicago, Sunday, March 14, 2010. The Capitals won 4-3 in overtime. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

AP

Since it’s Thursday that means we get to find out who’s coming to NBC’s Game of the Week in two weeks, this time around on Sunday, March 13th at 12:30 p.m. ET we’ll see the Chicago Blackhawks taking on the Washington Capitals at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

With the season winding down and every game meaning that two big points are on the line, Chicago will almost certainly be in a far more desperate situation than Washington. Things are tighter than ever in the Western Conference and the defending Stanley Cup champions are in a perilous situation in the standings where even the shortest of losing streaks can put them out of the playoffs. Captain Jonathan Toews along with Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa will be doing their best to rally the team and get them back into the post-season party.

If you think it’ll be a walk in the park for the Capitals, think again. The Caps are in the hunt for the Southeast Division title with Tampa Bay and the difference between winning the division and not could mean the difference between having to face either Pittsburgh in the 4 vs. 5 game or getting either the Rangers, Hurricanes, Thrashers, or Canadiens in the other pairing. All right, so none of it sounds easy but we’d like to think the Capitals would like to avoid playing Pittsburgh in the opening round as much as possible. Getting a win over Chicago would help them on their goal of winning the division once again and gearing up for the playoffs as a much more prepared team. Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and the goaltending duo of Michal Neuvirth and Semyon Varlamov will hope to be up to the task.

With the season officially winding down and the run to the playoffs in full swing, the pressure on this game to be big for both sides should be palpable and give all of us watching at home a good taste for what the playoffs should bring. As always, we’ll be live chatting with you through NHL Extra during the game and providing analysis leading up to and after the game.