Hello Washington Capitals, great to see you again, its been a while. Is it just me or have the Caps returned to a form not seen since the 2009 season? The very season where we looked primed for a long awaited Stanley Cup appearance until everything unraveled in a heated game seven in the Phone Booth against the rival Pittsburgh Penguins. Final Score: 6-2 Pens.
That 2009 season was probably the most memorable for Caps fans this decade. Behind the core four of the Alex's (Semin and Ovechkin), Nick Backstrom and Mike Green, the Capitals went on a tear at the end of the season and looked like the team to beat heading into the playoffs. The Caps delivered a fantastic first round comeback against the New York Rangers in seven games, partly due to the inspired net-minding of then rookie sensation Semyon Varlamov. After that, the stage was set for the Leagues biggest rivalry to take place.
Caps vs. Pens is the equivalent of the Yankees-Red Sox in the NHL and the series more than lived up to the hype, well...the first six games anyway. In the highly anticipated game seven the Caps laid an egg so big (ostrich sized), I don't think anyone saw it coming. To get humiliated, at home, in a series clinching game was so unlike this Caps team that had faced so much adversity throughout the season. This was a team with so much fight, that had just rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to come back and beat the hated Rangers, that it seemed like it was fate that we should have beat the Pens, but alas.
I know, I know, I'm living in the past, 2011 is a new season, but until recently, it seemed like the Capitals were unable to shake off that heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Pens. Don't get me wrong, the 2010 season had its share of bright spots, including a near record 14 game winning streak and a #1 seed in the playoffs, but despite all of the good, it never seemed like this was a team that had the confidence to win it all. Unfortunately, we all remember what happened last year in the playoffs. For a second straight year, the Caps were stunned. This time they were upset by the eighth seeded Montreal Canadiens who came out of nowhere to advance to the next round. Once, again the Caps were back to square one in their search for that elusive Stanley Cup.
(In a non-Caps related story, Flieschmann went on perhaps the best tear of his career after joining the Avalanche, helping them win six consecutive games and cementing his spot on the first line alongside All-Stars Matt Duchene and Paul Stasny. Unfortunately, Fliesch suffered a blood clot in his lung shortly thereafter and had to hang it up for the season, the Avs have never been able to recover and are now in second to last place in the West, sigh).
Anyway...where was I? Oh yea, so the Caps were trying to beef up their defense, something that had always been an issue for them. The reason they had been so successful in the past was because of their stellar offense, but once the goals stopped flowing, so did the wins, but things were about to change.
The addition of Hannan was just the start. With the NHL trade deadline fast approaching, the Caps struck two deals that landed them Center Jason Arnott from the New Jersey Devils (at the expense of fan favorite David "The Nation" Steckel, which has clearly paid dividends) and defender Dennis Wideman from the Florida Panthers. Since the trade deadline, the Caps haven't lost. After netting their sixth straight win by beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-0 on Wednesday night, the Caps are right back where they need to be, atop the Eastern Conference and within two points of taking the top overall seed in the East.
The importance of these defensive acquisitions cannot be understated. Before this season our defense was swiss cheese. Mike Green is great, but everyone knows he's an offensive minded defender who's real value is felt during power plays. John Erskine is a bruiser, sure, but how many times has he made a bonehead play during crunch time? These guys weren't getting the job done in this new defensive scheme, so this much needed support came a just the right time. Also, the goal play has been extraordinary as of late and it is coming from the most unlikely of places. Although the reign of dominance by goalie Semyon Varlamov was short lived (he has had numerous stints on AHL Hershey over the past two seasons) a pair of two other young goalies are beginning to make names for themselves these days.
It seems to me that this team is gelling at the perfect time. With only 14 games remaining in the regular season, the Caps appear to be in the driver's seat once again. If they can continue to figure each other out and keep up this inspired play, where the defense is stifling and the offense is clicking, don't be surprised to see them clinch their second straight 1st place season. The core of this team has not forgotten what's transpired over the past few seasons and the string of heartbreaking playoff series defeats (game seven losses in 2008, 2009 and 2010) will not stand...this aggression WIll NOT stand, man. It's their time. The experience is there, the talent is there, and now the game plan seems to be there. The only question is, will the be able to execute when it matters? I would like to think yes.
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