Let's get one thing straight before I get called a spineless, syrup-sucking ne'er-do-well because I'm writing a column about a sport other than Virginia men's basketball - I'm just as ecstatic as the next 'Hoo about the Cavaliers' unexpected ascent up the ACC ladder, but the way I see it, I'm actually doing Will Sherrill & Co. a big favor in the karma department. I'm not superstitious - maybe just a little 'stitious - when people make like Jim Mora and prematurely start "talking 'bout playoffs," but lest we jinx Tony Bennett's boys, let's embrace Charlottesville's snow-capped spirit, practice our bad Canadian accents and talk some ice hockey, eh?
It's not a bad time to be a hockey fan at Virginia. Later this month in Vancouver, Team USA will look to win its first gold medal since 1980 in Lake Placid and the "Miracle on Ice" victory against the USSR. If patriotic nostalgia and the Olympic spirit aren't your thing, fear not! With more than two months left in the National Hockey League's regular season calendar, there are plenty of headlines to keep the casual fan entertained, but more on those later. As players from San Jose to Tampa Bay gear up for their playoff push, the biggest buzz in the NHL surrounds none other than the nearby Washington Capitals.
Many hockey pundits are already penciling Washington in as Stanley Cup frontrunners, and with good reason. While Virginia students stocked up on school supplies from the bookstore and Mincer's, the Caps spent the past two weeks running their franchise-best winning streak to a whopping 14 games, including Sunday's 5-4 overtime epic against the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Not surprisingly, perennial MVP candidate and goal-scoring fiend Alex Ovechkin remains the biggest factor in the Caps' sustained success. Despite missing several early-season games with injuries, "Alex the Great" continues to score seemingly at will - his hat-trick Sunday was ample proof - and, with 42 goals and 44 assists, he should challenge Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby for top individual accolades. Though coaches and teammates alike insist that Ovechkin's play hasn't changed a bit since he became captain Jan. 5, his promotion has certainly seemed to light a fire under several other role players for Washington.
With 17 points (11 G, 6 A) during the streak, winger Mike Knuble has established himself as a key offensive threat and has taken pressure off the top scoring trio of Ovechkin, Alex Semin and Nicklas Backstrom. Knuble had the hot hand again Sunday, scoring the game-winning OT goal for Washington to send the fans at the Verizon Center into a celebratory frenzy. Perhaps even more integral to the Caps' run has been the improved play of defensemen Tom Poti, Shaone Morrisonn and Jeff Schultz, who have combined for 16 points and a +32 plus/minus during the streak. While star blueliner Mike Green was temporarily sidelined with injury and suspension, the rest of the defense stepped up admirably, holding opposing teams to a paltry 2.36 goals per game average - down from 2.70 for the season.
The most impressive improvement for the Capitals, however, has come between the pipes at the oft-unreliable goaltender position. After a rocky start to the season, Jose Theodore lost significant playing time to last season's rookie phenom Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth of the Capitals' AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. When Varlamov went down with injuries in early December, fans initially bemoaned Theodore's return as the starter. With 10 straight wins and sparkling statistics - a 2.3 goals against average and a .929 save percentage - during the winning streak, however, Theodore has turned a supposed team weakness in net into a surprising strength. Look for Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau to ride Theodore during his hot steak and then install a performance-based timeshare once Varlamov returns to the fold.
One glance at the big picture certainly validates the Caps as Stanley Cup hopefuls. Perched high atop the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division with an NHL-best 88 points, the Caps also lead the league with a 3.9 goals per game average, 234 total goals and record against divisional rivals (13-2-0). With such dominant statistics, the Caps aren't likely to lose their stranglehold on the divisional crown and a top playoff seed, even if they do cool down their blistering pace. "But I'm not a Caps fan," you say. "Go Flyers/Penguins!" If I can't reform your impeccably poor taste in sports teams, I can at least dole out a healthy dose of "what to watch for" as the NHL regular season winds down.
1. Follow the race for the NHL's scoring title. Though the Hart Memorial Trophy - awarded to the player judged the regular season MVP - certainly carries greater prestige, the race for the scoring title is not voted on subjectively, cannot be debated and is an absolute blast to follow late in the season. Last year, the duel for the Art Ross Trophy came down to the final day of play, with Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin just edging Ovechkin, 113 to 110. Ovechkin currently stands as this year's point leader with 86, but expect strong surges by Vancouver's Henrik Sedin (78) and Crosby (74) to make things interesting.
2. Support hockey's Cinderella story of the decade. Since the 2004-05 NHL Lockout, few teams have been as consistently bad as the Phoenix Coyotes. A combined record of 143-161-24 and no playoff appearances during the last four seasons was only worsened by the team's filing for bankruptcy May 5, 2009. This season - with team ownership, management and finances in shambles - the Desert Dogs have done nothing but win, defying the odds and jumping out to a 36-19-5 record, second place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division and the fourth overall seed in the West. Don't expect Capitals-style hockey from Phoenix - the Coyotes win with strong goaltending and suffocating defense - but that shouldn't stop you from investing in an Ilya Bryzgalov jersey.
3. Last but not least, turn on ESPN and watch hockey highlights! I challenge you to find another game on earth in which speed, power, finesse and teamwork coalesce in perfect harmony. Oh, and did I mention that on-ice fighting is - sort of - legal? The NHL may still run a distant fourth place to the NFL, NBA and MLB in the American sports hierarchy, but trust me - NASCAR needs to die, and Barry Melrose's mullet alone is worth the price of admission.
No matter how good new Redskins coach Mike Shanahan is, it'll still be a while before D.C. football fans can celebrate an NFC East divisional title. And as for the Nationals? Well, just try not to lose 100 games again - then we'll talk. The bottom line is that you owe it to yourself as a sports fan at Virginia to tune in and watch the Caps. With Washington playing the hottest hockey in the NHL, cheering on the local team - "C-A-P-S! CAPS! CAPS! CAPS!" - has never been easier, especially for all those New York Jets fans who recently came out of hiding. Here's hoping that the Capitals can continue their exciting run to Lord Stanley's Cup, and - knock on hardwood - that they won't be the only team talking 'bout playoffs in March.
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