The Caps are ready to start the best of seven series with the Pens. It's a dream series loaded with celebrity! Sid the kid Crosby won the Hart Trophy two years ago, Alex Ovechkin won it last season and is a finalist this year along with Pittsburghs Geno Mulkin. Ovie doesn't like Sidney Crosby. Neither does Alexander Semin, who calls Crosby an overrated product of the NHL's hype machine. Ovechkin and Mulkin have had their issues too. In Moscow a while back Ovechkin was said to have taken a shot at Mulkins agent in a club. You can't make this stuff up. It should be a sensational series with the supporting casts playing big roles in the outcome. I think the Caps win this series in seven games then advance to play the Bruins for the right to play the Red Wings.

The Nationals continue to compete into the late innings and then turn into the bad news bears. This team has no bullpen!!!! The whispers are getting louder and the questions more defined about the future of Manny Acta. Will he last the season?  The answer is no if the Nationals continue to play with such a lack of discipline. He'll be gone sooner more than later in that case. But I know that Manny didn't pick the pitchers. I just wish he would show more emotion and be more involved with them!