Role reversal suits Capitals fine as playoffs near

WASHINGTON — The best team in the league was playing at Capital One Arena on Thursday night, a chance to clinch the Presidents’ Trophy at stake. And in a change from the past two seasons, it wasn’t the Washington Capitals.

The Nashville Predators arrived to Chinatown with the league’s best record, taking that mantle from the Capitals. But while Washington has excelled at playing well over the course of 82 games, that hasn’t always translated into playoff success.

The Predators beat the Capitals, 4-3, to win the Central Division andmaintainthetopseedintheleague. If Nashville is the measuring stick this year, then Washington can be encouraged by the competitive game just one week before the postseason. The loss was just the Capitals’ second since March 20, and Washington didn’t have anything to play for with the Metropolitan Division crown already clinched. “They’re a good benchmark,” forward Tom Wilson said. “They’re a good hockey team. … I think we played fairly well at times. We can obviously tighten some stuff up.”

Center Evgeny Kuznetsov lifted the Capitals to a 3-2 lead just1:07 into the third period. But after Washington had killed off a string of15 power plays over the past four games, the unit allowed its second goal of the game, a Roman Josi shot with 11:41 left. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer caught a bad break, his skate blade snapping off as he tried to stop the shot.

Then14:33 into the period, Grubauer outstretched his glove as he leaned back in net and tried to catch a Viktor Arvidsson shot, but the puck deflected off Ryan Johansen to get past Grubauer.

“But I like the way we’re playing,” coach Barry Trotz said. “We’re playing with lots of speed, we’re playing with lots of pace, and that was a good test.”

The Capitals’ top priority in this last week of the regular season is to get through it healthy. Center Jay Beagle missed a second straight game with an undisclosed “upper-body” injury, andcoachBarryTrotz said he expects Beagle back by the playoffs. Beagle seemed to aggravate his injury in the first period against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night, and Washington has had some close calls since. On Monday, captain Alex Ovechkin awkwardly crashed into the end boards in St. Louis. Ovechkin didn’t practice on Wednesday, and the Capitals considered resting him against the Predators. But Ovechkin insisted he felt better and wanted to play, as he’s dressed in every other game this season and is poised for his fourth 82-game campaign. Saturday, 7 p.m. TV: NBCSWA