His return to the Washington lineup tonight on

his return to the Washington lineup tonight on Caps game day live, presented by your Washington, D.C.

area GMC dealers.

Thrilled to be with you here as it is time for game five between the capitals and the Carolina hurricanes.

John Walton, you know, it is about going deep on your roster and next man up

this time of year. So without Joe Beninati and with no Rob Carlin today, guess what? You're stuck with me in the anchor chair. So that's kind of a simile for what we're going to see maybe here tonight, too, in game five. Alan May and Ben Rabie from the Capitals Radio Network joining us here as well in getting you ready for a huge game tonight along 7th and F Street says the Capitol's trying to go up in the series again.

And a pivot point here is the Caps hoping they can find their way into a three games to two lead before going back to Raleigh for Monday and game six.

We've got a lot to get to both from line combinations, injury updates on

both sides of the ledger. But gentlemen, we start as we always do with our one big thing.

And Alan, we will start with you. All right. Here's what I really think the caps need.

Their big thing tonight, to me is scoring first and making sure they're getting on the board.

And what I want them to do is be able to gain some confidence and soften up the pressure of the hurricanes because if the hurricanes continue to apply so much pressure, the caps, they get that first goal, they're going to set them back. They'll be chasing. We saw what happened in the first two games here. We saw what happened in the first two games in Raleigh. So getting that first goal, and I think if you get the first one, you want to just continue to get up there. You know, if you get the three goal, get the four goal, get the five goal spread, and then lay the hammer down and try to change their will away for the next game. Yeah, I don't think the team that scored first, four and O so far in the series. I don't think there's even been a lead change in any of the games.

I think game two would have been the closest.

Capitals had multiple leads.

Carolina kept claw on their way back. I haven't seen leads change. For the most part, you take a lead. You're going to go on to win the game. My big thing for it tonight, been there, done that as far as the capitals are concerned with the injury bug.

We saw this last spring.

I know easier said than done filling the void injury bug. We saw this last spring.

I know easier said than done filling the void for T.J. Ochi, but you think back to last year's postseason run, particularly the second round against Pittsburgh. At the end of it, you were without Nick Baxter, you were without Andre Burekowski, you were without a suspended Tom Wilson. and Alex Jason ain't walking through that door tonight,

but I'll tell you what, there are guys who can step up and fill the void, and that's what I'm looking for. It was among the storylines last spring, even into the Tampa Bay series. Lars Eller was among those who elevated his play. There are a number of guys in the lineup tonight with or without T.J. O'Shee, who would be looked upon to elevate their play tonight,

but given the absence of T.J. O'Shee, the urgency to do so certainly elevates, but I'm looking

for them to draw on that experience from a year ago. They've handled adversity. They've handled

the injury bug. Go do it again in 2019. Yeah, that's what needs to happen here. And maybe, in fact,

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