http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjanicki/ / CC BY 2.0There’s a place on the ice where the NHL’s brightest stars like Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby struggle to match the skill of Washington Capitals center David Steckel: The face-off circle. The 2009-2010 season saw several Capitals dominate the league’s statistical charts and set personal bests, and Steckel was no exception. Along with posting the best plus/minus of his NHL career, Steckel finished second overall in the NHL this season in…

Jose Theodore was excellent last night, making 44 saves in a statementwin for the Caps against the Red Wings. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)Even injury-plagued, the Detroit Red Wings are the Nick Sabans of hockey — they are to be taken seriously at all times. As a new powerhouse, the Washington Capitals view games against Detroit as chances to measure themselves against a decade-plus gold standard of the NHL. “It’s a good way to gauge where…

Florida defenseman Jay Bouwmeester. (Steve Mitchell/Associated Press) It’s not often in professional sports that the home team has the chance to keep the best player on the visiting team after the game, but that might be the case this afternoon if the Capitals can make the right impression on the Florida Panthers. Panthers defenseman Jay Bouwmeester is an emerging star. He plays defense well, passes the puck well and scores goals. All year, Florida…