Getting Back on Track

Capitals 5, Hurricanes 2
Scoresheet - Wash Post

The most important stat of the night: Capitals went 3 for 4 on the power play and the 'Canes were 0 for 3 on their power play. This was what Capitals fans were expecting from the very beginning. The Caps were supposed to have a dangerous power play and our penalty kill was to be the toughest on the league. It was a design that was suppose to have the Capitals in the playoff hunt, not scraping the bottom of the NHL barrel with a league worst record.

Not to say that the Caps have reached the pinnacle of perfection, far from it. But getting two wins back to back is a start. Alex Ovechkin looked as dangerous as ever scoring two goals, his 15th and 16th markers on the season. Micheal Nylander was a force in this game getting a goal and two assists. Also scoring for the Caps were Mike Green (second straight game were Green scored on the powerplay) and Boyd Gordon (on a empty netter and short handed).

The Caps were able to hold off a late game surge. For a good five minutes it look as if the Caps were once again squander a lead in the third. But with some good defense, good goaltending and a little bit of luck (the washed out Justin Williams goal that would have made it a one goal game with under a minute left in the game) the Capitals were able to hold off the attack.

The "Don't think, just play" mantra new head coach Bruce Boudreau laid on the Capitals have certainly loosened them up. For the Capitals turn their season around they still have to put together 5 to 6 game winning streaks just to pull with in .500 on the season. Boudreau may have just taken the cloud of expectation off the Caps' block, but now is the time to make up for lost time. It won't take long for those expectations to return with every win and non win.

For now, this is a good win. Even the many in attendance found it in themselves to give this team a standing ovation at the end of the first and of course at the end of the game. And for the moment GM George McPhee is starting to look like a genius agian. For the moment.