Cross-check, schmossh-check: Brooks Laich and the Caps reminded the
Islanders and Mark Streit whose team was on top of the conference.
(AP Photo/Paul J. Bereswill)

Capitals 7, Islanders 2: The Capitals are an enthralling team to watch play hockey, and there’s only so many hours in the day. Maybe you don’t have time to lend to the engaging playoff races starting to develop around the league. That’s understandable. But there’s an interesting competitive logjam developing at threshold of the Eastern Conference playoff space. Sixth through thirteenth place is separated by only three points; with Washington — winners of seven straight — beginning to pull away in the race for the East’s top seed, that’s a whole lot of potential first-round opponents to scout. Well, I guess Bruce Boudreau can strike the Islanders off his to-do list: the Caps simply demolished the Isles on the road, getting goals from six different skaters (none of them named Ovechkin), and putting things away early by scoring four times in the first twenty minutes. The regularly prolific Capitals’ offense had the official triviaheads burning up their keyboards. Next up on the playoff scouting list: Florida and Tampa Bay on Friday and Sunday, with a home game against Anaheim — fighting for their life in the Western race — sandwiched in between.

Lakers 115, Wizards 103: Allow me to indulge in my fascination with statistics, and the lies they tell. The Wizards had six players in double figures, including Antawn Jamison who posted 27 and 9. Their starters shot 54% percent from the field. Washington dominated the offensive glass, grabbing 13 offensive boards compared to L.A.’s 4. They turned the ball over fewer times. So how’d they lose the game? Simple: the Lakers are really, really good and the Wizards laid an egg in the second quarter — that’s really all it took to send them to their fourth straight loss. The defending champs had two guys who were a combined +41. No, not Kobe and Pau (though each had 26 points), but Shannon Brown and Lamar Odom — who don’t even start. The Lakers also hit their free throws, going 18-22 from the line to bury the home team in their one trip through D.C. for the season.