What Washington has shown so far is split down the middle. As of Wednesday morning they're 1-1-0, with a 5-2 win at Carolina in the opener followed by a 1-goal night in a 3-1 loss at Tampa Bay. The Carolina game showed what this group can do when it's rolling. The Tampa game showed how quickly it goes quiet when it isn't.
The story inside the Capitals' room is the blue line. Matt Roy left the Tampa loss after the 2nd period with a lower-body injury, and Carbery said he'd need "significant improvement" to play against Pittsburgh. Roy is listed day-to-day. Rasmus Sandin is starting the year on the injured non-roster list with a knee injury. Center Patrick Thomas is on injured reserve too. With 2 regular defensemen out, the Caps are playing depth guys up the lineup, and a Rangers forward group that just scored 3 goals in the 3rd against the Islanders will make them prove they can handle it.
For New York, the question is whether the Islanders game was the real thing or a good night against a team whose goalie came back to earth. The Rangers led after every period and closed it out, which is what good teams do in October. Washington on the 2nd night of its Ovechkin farewell, in a building that'll still be loud for him, is a stiffer road test than a home game against their crosstown rival.
Puck drop is 7:00 PM ET on Friday, October 9. Check the Pittsburgh result before you settle on a read. A Caps team that comes out of Wednesday healthy and rolling is a different opponent from one that's still searching for a 3rd pair, and the Rangers will show up rested either way.