Surging Capitals look to pad lead vs. Avalanche

DENVER -- The Washington Capitals have led the Metropolitan Division for most of the season, but the final seven games will determine whether they hold onto that position and seal home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.

It is not an easy road for Washington, which started a five-game trek with a 5-4 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.

The victory helped the Capitals keep the surging Columbus Blue Jackets three points behind with seven games left for both teams. Washington (50-17-8) has 108 points, five clear of defending champion Pittsburgh, which also has seven games remaining.

In order to hold off the two division rivals, the Capitals will have to endure a tough stretch in which they play five games in four different time zones. Tuesday was the start of that run before they visit the NHL-worst Colorado Avalanche (20-52-3) on Wednesday.

Puck drop is 8 p.m. local time, three hours later than a normal home start for Washington. It is one of the hurdles players are used to overcoming during an 82-game season.

"It's one of those things where come 7 o'clock you just got to get your body ready to play," forward Tom Wilson told The Washington Post. "Sometimes the rest of your day is messed up a little bit, your body is kind of confused as to what time it is. But when it comes down to game time, the routine is usually the same. You have a nap, you get up and then you're ready for the game."

The Capitals were ready for the start of Tuesday's game, especially Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie. Ovechkin had a hat trick and also an assist in the win over the suddenly struggling Wild. His first two goals came nearly five minutes apart in the second period and his third -- his 33rd of the season -- gave Washington a 4-2 lead.

Oshie scored the winner 1:52 into overtime.

If Washington comes out that inspired against Colorado, it will probably result in another victory.

The Avalanche have an NHL-low 43 points and have lost six straight. They are on pace for their worst season since the franchise was in Quebec despite having a payroll that is close to the salary cap.

With nothing on the line, Colorado should be playing more carefree hockey but instead it has tightened up in games, most notably a 7-4 loss to Edmonton at home on Thursday. Colorado had a 4-2 lead in that game but allowed five goals in the third period to lose its fourth in a row.

The Avalanche followed that with losses in Edmonton and Calgary over the weekend, and the same tight team showed up in both games.

"We talked to them about being loose and playing like we have nothing to lose," coach Jared Bednar said after the Calgary game on Sunday.

But the Avalanche did play like it had something on the line and faltered in both games.

Now they face the team with the most points in the league. It will be a tough task to stop Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and the rest of the high-scoring Capitals.

For Washington, it's about playing a smart road game and collecting points while piling up the air miles traversing the continent to finish out the season. After playing Colorado in Mountain time, the Capitals will visit the Arizona Coyotes in Pacific Time, and finally the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus back in Eastern Time.

"We've worked all year to put ourselves in a position where this Metro Division, just getting the seeding in the Metro Division, it's taken a lot of effort and a lot of good things have happened for us," Capitals coach Barry Trotz told The Washington Post. "We have a small window. We're going out and playing some good teams."