This is it.

If the Caps want to make any kind of serious run at the playoffs, tonight is the night it starts. The Southeast cellar dwelling Florida Kittycats are 1 point behind the Caps in the standings, and have the same number of wins (4) and losses (6) in their last 10 games.

The Capitals MUST win tonight, plain and simple. Another two points lost to one of the worst teams in the league who also happens to be a division rival and the hole will be too deep to get out of. With the unbalanced schedule performance against teams in the Southeast is paramount, and so far the Caps have a less than stellar 8-10-2 record. They need to start stockpiling in-division points NOW, before the season is lost.

And just as a friendly reminder, in the last 2 games against Florida, the Caps put together two of their worst efforts of the season, one of which ruined the weekend of any fans unfortunate enough to attend the Saturday matinée. The combined goals scored by Florida in those two games? 11. So it's safe to say the defense needs to actually come to play tonight.

If the Capitals lose this game, Florida vaults ahead of them in the standings. Read that again. THE FLORIDA #@!$!@# PANTHERS will be AHEAD of the Capitals in the Southeast Division if the Caps lose tonight. If you're wondering if the Caps are going to be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline, this game should give you a very strong indication.

It's go time, boys. Show us what you've got.

On another note, I'll be trying to post a link every day of Black History Month on a black person of historical significance. I'll try to keep up the archive of links on the right. Today's link is to the Wikipedia entry for DC's own master composer Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington. I'm also linking to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, one of the few public high schools in the nation with an emphasis on arts education (of which I happen to be a graduate).