Photo by misterbeck.

Good morning, Washington. Do the Capitals have a miracle in them? Last night, the only legitimate hope for Washington sporting glory dropped another heartbreaker to the Tampa Bay Lightning, falling into an 3-0 hole in the best-of-seven series. In the history of seven-game series in major American sports, only a handful of teams have ever overcome such a deficit; though the Caps can take solace in knowing that NHL teams pulled off three of those comebacks (and even this year, the Chicago Blackhawks turned around a 3-0 deficit before losing in a seventh game against the Vancouver Canucks.) Game 4 is tonight at 7 p.m.

Vote on D.C. Abortion Funding Today: The House of Representatives is scheduled to take up a vote on the incredibly controversial No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, the bill which would ban the District of Columbia from spending local funds to pay for abortions for low-income women. Local leaders have, as expected, lined up in opposition. The D.C. Council sent a letter stating the act would “overturn the rule of local government.” Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton tried to advance an amendment which would have stopped the rider, which she called “among the most radical anti-home-rule attacks in the District’s history” and about which she was not allowed to testify about during a House Judiciary Committee hearing. D.C. Vote is planning a protest this evening in Upper Senate Park. The House is expected to easily pass the measure, though the White House stated earlier this week that the President would be advised to veto the measure.

Gray Holds Serve: Mayor Vince Gray claimed a series of little victories during yesterday’s Council hearing, proving that despite low approval ratings and a general sense of political malaise about his administration, he still has plenty of friends on the Council. Freeman Klopott notes that the tabling of David Catania’s police force committee bill (Gray, of course, was backed by the police union during last year’s campaign) and Jim Graham’s proposals to identify escaped youth offenders and requiring Council approval on all deputy mayors could serve as a harbinger that Gray’s budget might be able to win over the legislature without major changes.

Small Parcels of Maryland Blowing Up: Nearly 1,000 residences lost power in Maryland last night after manhole explosions, while a Rockville home was leveled and two people inside were severely injured after a mysterious yet “massive” explosion which threw the residents into their backyard. Investigators are looking into what may have caused the blasts.

Briefly Noted: FEMS investigate suspicious package at Department of Energy…Constitution Center now going for $900 million…We can now drop the “acting” part of Irv Nathan’s job title…Gray to give Raheem DeVaughn key to the city…Stay away from the snakeheads…Even PETA is celebrating Osama bin Laden’s death.

This Day in DCist: Last year, the Mt. Pleasant interim library was closed after an SUV crashed into it and Washingtonians were invited to make their best offer for former mayoral candidate/accused White House party crasher Carlos Allen’s HushGalleria Mansion.