Caution: Sweep Ahead

The Caps (46-23-7, 99 points, second in Eastern Conference) host the New York Islanders (25-41-9, 59 points, NHL's worst team) tonight and, with a win tonight, would complete a season sweep of the "other" New York team. The Caps have 36 season sweeps in club history against teams that they have played three or more times. The Caps have swept the Islanders five times previously (the most against any opponent), the last coming during the 2002-03 season. The Caps also have swept Montreal four times and have swept Vancouver, Ottawa and Colorado three times each. (The red, white and blue goes for its first sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 9 in the regular season's penultimate game.)

The Caps are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games and 27-9-2 at Verizon Center. The Isles, meanwhile, are 4-4-2 in their last 10 and 9-26-3 on the road. Washington leads the all-time series, 83-79-13-2, including a 43-33-11-1 advantage at home.

The teams' first period stats provide a microcosm of the mismatch. The Caps are 32-7-2 when scoring first and 29-3-3 when leading after the first period. The Isles 6-29-7 when allowing the first goal and 4-20-5 when trailing after the first period. The Caps have outscored their opponents, 79-66, in the first period while the Isles have been outscored, 67-54, in the initial stanza.

Nicklas Backstrom continues to increase his career-best assists total. One helper tonight gives him 60, which would tie him for fifth all-time in franchise history for a single season. Dennis Maruk holds the record (76) and Adam Oates is second with 69. Backstrom has a shot at eclipsing Michal Pivonka's third-best total of 65.

A win tonight practically gives the Caps a second-straight division title. However, even if they secure two points tonight, the Caps would still need a Carolina loss to the N.Y. Rangers tomorrow night or a win over the Buffalo Sabres Friday night to make it official. A win tonight also would earn the Caps the fourth 100-point season in franchise history.

Milan Jurcina will be the odd-man out on defense tonight.

Jose Theodore is expected to get the nod in goal tonight. Theo (29-16-5, 2.80 GAA, .902 save percentage) is 21-10-4 (2.58, .911) since Dec. 23.