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(photo by Clyde Caplan)

Well then. Wasn’t that a little more enjoyable than what local fans have been subjected to this season?

Watching the Washington Capitals systematically destroy the Florida Panthers in a 4-0 drubbing definitely gave the Verizon Center faithful cause for celebration and had more than a few folks feeling a bit nostalgic.

Of course, with as disappointing as this season has been, it was a sight for sore eyes watching the Caps score the eventual game-winning goal just 13 seconds into a contest.

This was a statement game – not just because Washington was able to leapfrog Florida for first place in the division – but because it’s easily the closest the Caps have come to putting together a complete 60-minute effort since Dale Hunter took over as coach.

From the moment the puck dropped until the final few seconds ticked off the clock, the Capitals looked like the local hockey team many of us have come to know and love during the “Rock the Red” era.

They were simply dominant and the opponent simply had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Back in the day, it didn’t matter who took the ice against the Capitals in games like this – they were leaving our nation’s capital with a humbling loss against a talent-laden franchise poised for greatness.*

*Of course, it didn’t exactly work out that way, but let’s move on. No need to dwell on the negative after a game like this.

Caps captain Alex Ovechkin looked every bit as talented as the guy who was arguably the best player in hockey just a year or two ago as he imposed his will on an inferior opponents.

Watching Ovechkin fly up and down the ice looking to get involved in the play – even when it wasn’t necessarily in the offensive zone – was absolutely a welcome surprise.

Because, for as talented as the 26-year-old is, there are definitely times when he appears disinterested in impacting a game on the two thirds of the rink away from the opposing goalie.

And it wasn’t just Ovechkin who came to play against the Panthers.

Even though the Caps remain without the services of center Nicklas Backstrom and defenseman Mike Green, there was no shortage of players willing to make an impact in this one.

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(photo by Brian Murphy)

My son taught me something new over the weekend — you’re never too young to be let down by your favorite hockey team.

Sure, he might only be seven-months-old, but even he knows when the Washington Capitals are in the midst of a letdown game.

Just 24 hours after an enjoyable 3-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, the Caps failed to show up for the Super Bowl Sunday showdown with the Boston Bruins.

In related news, Tim Thomas and friends left the nation’s capital much happier than their last visit to D.C.*

*Of course, since the president refuses to “Barack the Red,” Thomas showed up at the Verizon Center without fear of his biggest rival exacting revenge.

The Caps fell behind early, rarely challenged Thomas with anything resembling a sustained attack and fell meekly to the defending Stanley Cup champs.

I know defenseman Karl Alzner’s comments about having troubles getting fired up for less glamorous games against teams like the Florida Panthers wasn’t popular, but I admire the kid’s honesty. It’s too bad that the Capitals, who have won just four of their last 10 games, fail to show up often enough for him to catch on to that troubling trend.

This game wasn’t against an unheralded opponent though – it was against a powerhouse Bruins team that was embarrassed at the Verizon Center two weeks ago. A team that came into this matinee match-up having suffered a disappointing loss to Pittsburgh 24 hours earlier.

There was little doubt the Bruins had plenty of motivation to show up for this game. Apparently the same could not be said for Washington.

If that’s not bad enough, forward Brooks Laich (one of the few players on this team who consistently hustles night in and night out) was knocked out of the game with a knee injury and left the building on crutches.

If Laich is out of the lineup for any length of time, it could finally be the breaking point for this already fragile franchise. With center Nicklas Backstrom still out of the lineup recovering from a concussion, the Caps might not win another face-off this season.

Considering how often they struggle to get the puck out of their own zone as it is, it wouldn’t surprise me if Washington’s goalies were seen openly weeping after Laich’s injury.

About the only good thing to come out of this game was my decision to use the hashtag #DickInABox every time Alexander Semin takes an ill-advised stick penalty. Obviously the in-house music at Verizon Center can’t play the song, but that shouldn’t stop Caps fans from calling out the selfish forward.

So if you’re on Twitter, please feel free to join in on the fun. If nothing else, it might help distract fans while their favorite hockey team continues to crash and burn.

(courtesy photo)

The Washington Capitals lost to the Florida Panthers 4-2. Once again they were out-hustled. Once again they were out-played. Once again they failed to put together a full 60-minute effort.

We’re now 50 games into the season and this game felt awfully familiar. It’s as if we’ve seen this movie before. If only I could put my finger on it …

(photo by Phelan M. Ebenhack)

While it was nice to see the Capitals get a point in a road game, Washington’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning wasn’t all that enjoyable.

Sure, Washington was just 8-13-2 on the road to begin and was without the services of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green as they faced a talented divisional rival after a lengthy layoff.

So there are going to be plenty of people out there who are willing to make excuses for the stretches of less-than-stellar play. There are going to be plenty of fans who are happy to accept a point for the overtime loss as a moral victory.

Just don’t count me among that group of fans.

Because Washington’s first game after the all-star break was just more of the same of we’ve been what subjected to all season long.

The Capitals were at times good, but are rarely ever great these days.

They struggle to create quality scoring chances, the powerplay is still abysmal and they never have any sort of a margin for error. One screw up* and this team’s chances at victory essentially go out the window.

*Like say, a past-his-prime defender tripping over his own feet ensuring the opponent has a clear one-on-one breakaway against your goalie. Moments like that will always be huge momentum swings over the course of a game and Roman Hamrlik’s moment in the spotlight wasn’t a pretty one.

But my biggest issue with the Capitals these days is the fact that they’re simply incapable of putting together a full 60-minute effort anymore.

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(photo by Mitchell Layton)

As you’ve no doubt heard by now, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was suspended three games for a hit on Pittsburgh defenseman Zbynek Michalek in Sunday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Penguins.

Although no penalty was called at the time, Brendan Shanahan, the NHL’s head disciplinarian, saw fit to sit The Great 8.

“The moment Ovechkin launches himself into the air prior to the hit he becomes responsible for any contact to the head,” Shanahan said.

While it was disappointing to see the NHL suspend Ovechkin, I can’t pretend to be surprised by Shanahan’s decision. In his eyes, Ovechkin is a repeat offender (he was suspended twice during the 2009-10 season) who should know better.

With Ovechkin off for an impromptu vacation, it means the Capitals – who continue to fight with several other middle-of-the-pack teams for a playoff spot – obviously need a player or two to step and fill the void. Especially since Ovechkin isn’t the only top-tier player out of action these days.

Top-line center Nicklas Backstrom is still out of action due to a concussion and top defenseman Mike Green remains out of the lineup as he deals with a groin injury.

Think about that for a second – in a season in which the salary cap stands at $64.3 million, Ovechkin, Backstrom and Green account for roughly $21.5 million.

When three players eat up a third of your total salary cap space, you’re obviously expecting them to be your workhorses and carry the proverbial load for your team day in and day out.

Conversely, when three of your four highest-paid players are out of the lineup, it’s safe to say your team is typically in trouble.

That, of course, was the backdrop as the Caps took the ice against the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.

While the sweaters remained the same, the players wearing them for the home team looked a lot more like the Hershey Bears than the Washington Capitals we’ve come to know and love.

On the surface, there was little reason for optimism heading into this one. The Bruins have been in beast mode all season long.*

*Case in point: their 15-6 record on the road was better than most team’s home record and they had scored 168 goals while only allowing 97 for the season. That’s pretty good.

And yet, I was more excited to see this game than any other since Dale Hunter took over as the new coach. Why?

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