from Barry Svrluga of The Washington Post,

So here are the Capitals, where they annually seem to be in February: tied for first place in the revamped East Division. Heading into play Tuesday night, no team in the NHL had more points. Their 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Monday was their first in regulation through 10 games — and was a game they should have put away.

But in a season shortened to 56 games by the coronavirus, in which they just completed a six-game homestand with no fans rocking the red and no third-period bellows to unleash the fury, there are already two things noticeable about Laviolette’s bunch: They’re pretty darn good, and there’s lots (and lots) of room to get better.

“The game, for me, is not where I want it to be yet,” Laviolette said via Zoom after practice Tuesday. “Not where the players want it to be.”

That’s telling. And promising.

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