Capitals at Panthers

Fresh off the heels of the announcement of Alex Ovechkin’s baffling two-game suspension for his hit on Brian Campbell of the Chicago Blackhawks, the Washington Capitals take on the Florida Panthers tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Sunrise, Florida.

I’m done talking about Ovechkin’s suspension. I got all of my thoughts out on the situation here. I’m done. I’ll talk about the rest of the team now.

Let’s talk about how great Nicklas Backstrom has been. Sunday’s game was a national televised medium for Backstrom to show what he can do, and that he did. For a few years now, people who follow the Capitals know just how good Backstrom is, but this year, he’s finally being noticed by everyone in hockey. E.J. Hradek of ESPN.com ranks Backstrom as the third-best centerman in the entire league (link for Insiders only).

On Sunday, Backstrom notched two goals, his 27th and 28th goals of the season. He also recorded an assist, his 55th of the year, as Backstrom is tied for fourth in the league in assists. Backstrom is also fourth in the league in scoring, with 83 points. Backstrom is also plus-31 on the season.

Backstrom won the game on Sunday with an end-to-end rush, finishing with an ill toe-drag:

That came after turning the puck over, then backchecking to erase his mistake.

Let’s also talk about goaltender Jose Theodore, who is undoubtedly the current No. 1 goalie for head coach Bruce Boudreau. Theodore will get the start tonight against the Panthers. Theodore kept the Capitals in the game on Sunday while the rest of the team sleepwalked through the first two periods of the game.

Let’s talk about Mike Green, who is averaging 25:22 worth of ice time each game. Green has put up 17 goals and 52 assists (69 points) as the league’s top scoring defenseman. And for all of the criticism Green takes about his defense and taking too many chances on offense, I’m here to defend Green. I’ve been to 15 games this season, mostly sitting in the upper level behind the net that the Capitals defend twice. Not once have I seen Green lead a rush into the offensive zone and not get back to his defensive position in time.

And if you can find a better player to quarterback a power play, I’d love to see that player.

Let’s talk about Eric Fehr, who might do as much as any player on the Capitals with the ice time he’s given. Fehr, averaging 12:09 worth of ice time, has 18 goals and is a plus-18 on the season.

Let’s talk about how the Capitals have six players who have scored 20 or more goals in Ovechkin, Backstrom, Alexander Semin, Brooks Laich, Tomas Fleischmann and Mike Knuble.

Let’s talk about how the Capitals were the first team to 100 points this season, have a 14-point lead in the Eastern Conference and have a 99.9% chance to finish first in the East. How about how the Capitals have a plus-75 goal differential (20 goals better than second-place Chicago). How about how the Capitals have a five-point lead in the Presidents’ Trophy as the entire league’s top-point team?

The Capitals win, 4-2, tonight over the Panthers. Laich gets a goal.