The Washington Capitals continue to be one of the biggest mysteries of the NHL season.
So what can we make of the Washington Capitals at this point?
A Stanley Cup favourite? Uh, perhaps not.
A guaranteed playoff participant? Perhaps.
For most of the season we have been waiting for the Capitals to snap out of it. You have to wonder at this point if what you see is what you're going to get for the remainder of the season.
Alex Ovechkin's disappointing season aside, perhaps one of the most mystifying aspects of the Capitals year has been their inability to win if the game goes beyond regulation time. That wasn't the case early when Washington won its first three games that went to overtime and won two of their first three games that went to the shootout.
Since Nov. 13, however, they have gone 0-for-5 in overtime and have dropped four straight games that have gone to the shootout. It is hard to imagine that a team with the likes of Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green would be so unsuccessful when the chips are on the line.
The sad reality is the team many thought could win the Stanley Cup at the start of the season has been an enigma and is really showing no signs of being such a contender.
Here are some more thoughts as we head into a super weekend of hockey action:
Southeast clash
Looking forward to the rubber match between the Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning Friday. The Caps crushed Tampa Bay 6-3 and 6-0 in the first two meetings this season, but the Lightning rebounded with 1-0 and 3-0 wins, thanks in a large part to the great goaltending of newly-acquired Dwayne Roloson. The Lightning has won six in a row and holds a five-point lead over the Capitals in the Southeast Division standings.
Hold on a second
It is great that Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks is getting all kinds of props for his fabulous season, but to suggest he is the most valuable player on his team is a little silly. That is not to diminish his contributions to the success of the Canucks because he really is a multi-skilled performer who has taken his game to the next level and if the Canucks win the Stanley Cup this season, he will surely be one of the big reasons why.
At the same time, are people starting to take the contributions of the Sedin twins for granted? Daniel is second in league scoring, one point behind leader Steven Stamkos of the Lightning, while Henrik, who won the Art Ross Trophy last season, ranks fifth. As great as Kesler has been, the Sedins are still driving the bus in Vancouver.
Just Ducky
Not enough is being made of the great season Anaheim's Corey Perry is enjoying, particularly in light of the fact he played 13 games without his pal and linemate Ryan Getzlaf. Perry has always had the talent, but he has become a leader on a team that is rebuilding after taking a step back following their Stanley Cup victory in 2006-07. Back then he was a secondary player on a club led by veterans Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer, Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Teemu Selanne.
Perry is basically a shy young man, but he has been climbing out of his shell this year and has become quite an insightful interview. Chances are he'll finish in the top 10 in league scoring for the first time this season and if the Ducks go deep into the playoffs, Perry will play a huge role in their success.
One-offs
In what has been an otherwise disappointing year in Toronto, rookie goalie James Reimer gives long suffering Maple Leafs fans a reason to smile…
The top five scoring players on the San Jose Sharks are a collective minus-36 with winger Ryane Clowe the only plus player in the group at plus-6…
Love Sam Gagner's attitude when he says the Oilers won't make the playoffs this year, but they are determined as a group to keep on trying to learn valuable lessons that will benefit them in the future…
Great match-up Saturday night has the suddenly-hot Calgary Flames taking on the slumping and desperate Los Angeles Kings…
The Carolina Hurricanes, who a while ago looked prime to have a strong second half of the season, looked very lackluster in being shut out by the Maple Leafs Thursday…
Love the fact Boston Bruins defenceman Andrew Ference was critical of teammate Daniel Paille's head shot against Raymond Sawada of the Dallas Stars.
