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Grab your calendar, Caps release game schedule

By WTOP Staff

Ben Raby, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – The Washington Capitals will open an abbreviated 48-game regular season on the road Saturday, Jan. 19 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The team’s 38th home opener is set for Tuesday, Jan. 22 against the Winnipeg Jets.

The Capitals released their schedule Saturday afternoon, shortly after the NHLPA voted in favor of ratifying the new collective bargaining agreement.

The abbreviated schedule is a result of the NHL’s 113-day lockout and will see teams play exclusively within their conference.

“It’s going be a sprint for sure,” says first-year head coach Adam Oates. “But 48 games is still a lot of hockey. And there are a lot of bumps and bruises that go along with that. So I think it’s still a long enough period of time to determine that it’s a real season.”

Oates played during the NHL’s only other lockout-shortened season — a 48- game campaign in 1995 with the Boston Bruins — and finished tenth in league scoring that year with 53 points in 48 games.

The 1995 season played out over 15 weeks while this year’s schedule is slightly more condensed with the same number of games to be played over a 14-week period.

“Guys know the importance of how quickly this is going to turn around,” says forward Troy Brouwer. “Guys are going to have to be in shape because with a shortened season like this if you lose three games in a row out of the gates, you may not make the playoffs and that’s right at the beginning of the season.”

Washington will face opponents from the Atlantic and Northeast divisions three times each, while meeting divisional rivals Florida and Tampa Bay four times plus Carolina and Winnipeg five times each.

The Capitals are the only team in the NHL that will play three road games this season at Winnipeg’s MTS Centre.

An unusual twist to the Capitals schedule has the team playing in Winnipeg on consecutive nights March 21 to 22. The back-to-back games in Winnipeg make up half of Washington’s season-high four-game road trip which also includes games against the Pittsburgh Penguins (Tuesday, March 19) and the New York Rangers (Sunday, March 24).

The Capitals will also play consecutive home games against the same opponent when they host the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 23.

Other highlights on the Capitals’ schedule include a Super Bowl Sunday matchup against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Feb. 3 meeting will be the Penguins’ only visit to Verizon Center during the regular season.

The Capitals end the season with a three-game homestand against Winnipeg (April 23), Ottawa (April 25) and Boston (April 27).

The complete Washington Capitals 48-game schedule is included below:

Capitals 2013 Regular Season Schedule By WTOP

Follow @WTOPSports and @WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2013 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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