Mike Green congratulates goalie Jose Theodore after a 2-0 shutout win against the Rangers last night.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)

It’s taken only two games for three new guys on the Capitals roster — Scott Walker, Eric Belanger, and Joe Corvo — to net points for their new team. Walker got his first two Thursday, while Belanger scored a goal and Corvo had an assist in the Capitals’ 2-0 win over the Rangers Saturday.

It was a game which showed goaltender Jose Theodore at his best (he stopped all 30 shots he faced), while the Capitals maintained discipline and only made two trips to the penalty box. The second and third lines produced when the top line didn’t, even as the opposing team had more shots on goal. The Caps got their third win in a row; they’re first in the league standings, and they have 30 more points than their closest division rival, the Atlanta Thrashers.

Basically, the Caps’ biggest competition right now is themselves.

Take Eric Fehr. Fehr’s goal Saturday against Rangers goalie Alex Auld was his 17th this season and far surpassed any of his previous NHL totals. It places him seventh on the team in goals scored. Yet Fehr knows that despite such totals, there’s always a guy waiting right behind him if he slips up.

“The best way to stay motivated is knowing that there’s guys that want to get in the lineup,” Fehr said. “You got to play hard, and you’ve got to contribute if you want to stay in.”