FanNation - The Republic of Sport

     The second 200 blogs, begin now...and what better way to launch, than dealing with what has to happen tonight.

     In simple English, it's this: win the game outright, or take it into OT (regardless of the outcome), and the Capitals make the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs. Lose in regulation, and they're out.

     I think it's safe to say, the eyes of the hockey world are trained on Verizon Center in about 90 minutes. I've said this before, and it bears to be repeated--if you had asked me back around Thanksgiving, would I be writing in April that the caps would be in the playoffs, I'd say you were full of it.

     Which brings us back to the "Men of La Mancha", NHL version...because this truly has been a quixotic journey for this team.

     To review: on Thanksgiving Day, the Caps stood next-to-last in the Eastern Conference...and dead last in the Southeast Division. Even I had written off the season, and that's telling you something.

     Enter Bruce Boudreau.

     (Interlude: in researching the 200 blogs I've written for FN...this is #201...I ran across the blog I wrote about Boudreau taking over from Glen Hanlon. All I wanted at that point, was for him to salvage the season. Well, it's salvaged, all right.)

     Anyway, where was I?? Oh, yeah...

     If we're to give Boudreau credit for turning around the culture of losing Glen Hanlon had fostered for so long, I should also give credit to George McPhee (the GM) and Ted Leonsis (the Caps' owner) for pulling off the absolute steal of the year in bringing Christobal Huet in to stand between the pipes. (Guys, a word of advice: FIND a way to sign him, or at least make an offer!!! OK???)

     And now, we come to the MVP himself, one Alexander Ovechkin. Do you STILL doubt why this blog is named the way it is?? What more do I have to say, to convince you?? When I started this joint up back in October (coincidentally, when I joined FN), mine was the lone voice in the wilderness. It still is, because no one else wants to write on here...despite my opening up the place to let OTHERS have their say.

     Ah, it's a lonely feeling...

     So it comes down to one final game, for the right to move on to the postseason. Screw the Final Four; I'M watching the Caps game tonight!!! Of course, this means I have to hit the board on ESPN.com for the game...and put up with all the Caps (and Alex) haters on there, screaming how "the refs are fixing this for the Caps to get in". Never mind that Thursday night, these same refs screwed Brooks Laich out of a goal in the 1st period (not that it mattered, really).

     Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I'll say it: Don Quixote lives, and he wears #8 for the Washington Capitals. (And #38, and #37, and #28...need I go on??)

     "...To be willing to march into hell, for a heavenly cause"...Goddammit, I'm ENJOYING this!!! GO CAPS!!! GO ALEX!!! M-V-P!!! M-V-P!!! M-V-P!!!