The lowly Capitals have beaten the Senators a lot this season. Four out of four times, to be exact. The Senators remain in first place in the East and have beaten every Eastern Conference team except Washington and Toronto this season. They have four more chances against Toronto, and none against Washington.

Last night’s win was even more impressive because the Capitals played without Michael Nylander. Nylander, the team’s biggest offseason acquisition and its highest paid forward until Alex Ovechkin’s new contract kicks in, has elected to surgically repair a shoulder injury he had been ignoring for over a month. Nylander will need to rest for four to six months after his surgery.

If he heals quickly, he’ll be back exactly in time for the start of the playoffs. If the Capitals can continue their improved play long enough to capture the eighth spot in the East, they’ll face whatever team happens to finish the season in the first place spot. With a little luck, the Senators should still be there. Early season play across divisions is very different from playoff hockey, but it would still be great to see the Capitals reenter the playoffs against a team they’ve already swept this season.