Washington Capitals Tickets

The Washington Capitals come into the 2010 NHL playoffs as the undisputed team to beat, carrying all of the weight of the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Forget that the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup last year and beat the Capitals in seven games to do it.

Washington has been far and away the best team in the NHL this year, particularly when you take the Western Conference out of the equation. Even including both conferences, the Capitals finished significantly ahead of every other teams in terms of points earned.

Everything begins and ends with Alexander Ovechkin, the best overall player in hockey. He has phenomenal skating ability, knows how to put the puck in the back of the net and won't shy away from contact.

As good as Ovechkin has been, the play in goal has been a key for the Caps. Jose Theodore has really stepped up this year after being benched during last year's playoffs, and his play will likely be the difference in whether or not Washington can win the Stanley Cup.

Should he falter, Semyon Valarmov is waiting in the wings after a surprisingly strong run in the postseason as a rookie last year. He has battled injuries and inconsistency to have a decent year as the backup goalie.

Perhaps the key for the Capitals will be their defense, which has been shaky in the past and questioned at times this year.

The rival Penguins do stand in the way, but Washington would have it no other way. Winning the Stanley Cup without finally getting past their nemesis wouldn't mean nearly as much as bouncing Pittsburgh from the playoffs en route to a title.

It would be a terrible disappointment for the Capitals and their fans if they failed to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, but crazier things have happened before in the Eastern Conference playoffs.