Sports

Washington Capitals on track to Win the Metropolitan Division for the Fourth Time in a Row.

Editor-In-Chief Orlando Angelone

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Duke's Dispatch) - The 2018-2019 NHL season is coming to a close with less than ten games left for most of the teams in both the East and Western Conferences. The battle for the Atlantic Division is all but sewn up with the President's Trophy winning Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins claiming one and two respectively, with the Toronto Maple Leafs most likely claiming third in that division.

The Western Conference is also nearly accounted for, with a strong battle for the two wild card positions in the conference.

The one point of contention in the NHL standings is the Metropolitan Division which is still very close. It is currently led by the Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals, who have 96 points with 5 games left in the season. They are followed by the New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins, who both have 95 points, but the Islanders have a game in hand against the Penguins.

If the Washington Capitals win their division again it would the fourth time in a row, with them winning it in the 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 seasons.

Being the leader of ones division is quite important, since the division leaders get to play the one of the Wild Card Teams, and they get Home Ice advantage in the first two rounds. This is very important considering the fact that there are four rounds that are best of seven. Home Ice advantage means that you get to play at your home arena for the first two games.

If the Washington Capitals can pull of another Metropolitan Division win it would seriously help them in their quest to get back to back Stanley Cup Championships, which they promised the fans in Washington when The Captain Alexander Ovechkin stated at the beginning of the year, "No Suck, Back to Back"