Kind of you to join us today for Capitals Game Day Live, presented by your Washington,

D.C. dealers, Joe Beninati and John Walton with you from MedStar Capital's Ice Plexes.

We're getting set for the caps and lightning again, a rematch of the game from this past weekend

down in the Sunshine State. How is your drive back from Jersey, sir? Oh, it was very pleasant. The New Jersey Turnpike is lovely this time of year.

Lots of sleep last night. We're well rested and where's that Rob Carlin guy anyway?

Mr. Carlin, checking out, I'm trying to get involved on Facebook too.

Hopefully you'll join us Facebook Live, the NBC Sports Washington page as we sink our teeth into this game.

But first, as is normal on these game days, we're going to start with big thoughts.

And John, I'll begin with you and yours.

Well, let's start with what is at stake tonight for Washington and what could be.

Call this the seize the moment opportunity for the

capitals playing the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight, a team that yeah, they got you on Saturday

night down at Amalie Arena and they look pretty good doing it by a final score of 6 to 3. But since

we saw the lightning last, they have, well, wrapped up everything. They beat Arizona on Monday, and in doing that,

they now have wrapped up. The President's trophy, Home Ice through four rounds, franchise records

throughout, and, well, they don't have a whole lot to play for it. Washington is, well, uniquely

qualified to be able to know what that's like. Capitals did that a couple of seasons ago,

and it's not easy. Once you have nothing to play for, you're sitting around waiting for the 10th of April in the beginning of the Stanley Cup playoffs. And why do we bring all that up? Because for the Capitals tonight, who are coming off a four-game road trip, it was okay. They won two. They lost two. They got the win last night in New Jersey. But the opportunity now for the capitals is this. You want to come up with a string of wins that's going to get you to the Metropolitan Division title. Home Ice yourselves through two rounds and start to be playing your best hockey. What better time than to be doing that tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning as they come to town for the 730 start. Ben Rabie, where's Rob I'll hang up and listen? That's just beautiful. I love that, see, my man's looking after me. Thank you, Ben. Appreciate that. My big thought concerns one way for Washington to try and diffuse what has been a brilliant season for the Tampa Bay Lightning, at least in this game tonight. You're trying to

exact some revenge off of a 6-3 loss that really wasn't a 6-3 loss over the weekend at Amalie

Arena. I think Washington can do that and advance their numbers in the Metro Division

standings by putting a really significant forecheck onto what I think is a very talented

and deep defense core for Tampa Bay.

...