This Is The Test The Blueshirts Have Been Waiting For

The kidding around is over and done with; and that PLEASE NOTE – is not to minimize Your Beloved Rangers nor their healthy four-game winning streak.

But Game Five of the young season IS THE NO KIDDING AROUND.

Starting 7 p.m. at Capital One Arena will be a Washington Capitals team which most recently disposed of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Now – led by Captain  Al Ovechkin and Commodore Terrible Tom Wilson they'll attempt to show that their rebuild is as good as New York's.

There's no need to display the I.Q. (Intensity Quotient ) level that'll exist between these teams. It's rooted in Wilson's public maulings of Breadman Panarin and other former Blueshirts. It has left a permanent scar which still has yet to produce a revenge wallop.

But never mind the wily Wilson; not as long as Great Eight is roaming the prairies.

"This is Ovie's 22d season," says The Old Scout, "but he's still got the goods although nowadays t's more in three-quarter time than before. His cruise missile often surpasses 100 m.p.h.

Capitals GM. Chris Patrick has fortified his club with a solid new core. Boone Jenner, Vince 

Deharnais and our old Ranger pal Jonny Brodzinski are among the Troublemakers, coached by the very sagacious Spencer Carbery.

The Hockey News experts think enough of the Caps to pick Washington to finish right behind Cup champion Carolina in the Metro Division.

MAVEN ADVICE TO RANGERS: All hands had better be on deck for a test of all tests so far this season.