Is it October yet?

Two video clips stand out from the aftermath of last night's heartbreaking Caps OT loss. To see them you have to sift through the fog of disappointment, anger and hatred of the Flyers. To see them you have to stop thinking, "Same old Caps, teasing me just so they can rip my heart out." The first clip was watching Alex Ovechkin in the handshake line. The second clip was of Ovechkin's postgame locker room interview with reporters. The kid gets it. He responded to a bitter defeat with the poise of a veteran. He enumerated the postives, spoke with pride about the team's accomplishments and looked to the future. Any fan of this team must realize that we have a special guy here, on and off the ice. The Caps should be positioned to make many playoff runs in the near future. Maybe learning to crawl before you walk is just the way it has to be. Many a great NHL player-Howe, Gretzky, Lemeuix, LaFleur- failed to win their first playoff series. All went on to win many. Michael Jordan took merciless playoff beatings at the hands of the Detroit Pistons before growing into a six-time champion. It's difficult to be patient, but we fans must. We have a superstar, a leader, a veteran despite his years here that will lead this talented team to more disappointing losses and hopefully a bunch of thrilling victories.

I said I would be happy no matter the outcome in Round 1 simply because the Caps made it in. Maybe proud is the better word because this morning I am certainly not happy. To get that close and lose leaves me so bitter I might have to cling to guns or religion. The Caps had so many chances to put the game away early and late that I had the feeling it was going to end the way it did. They dominated the third period without putting home the game winner. Ovechkin had the series on his stick, but chose to pass to Federov. If it connects we celebrate Ovechkin as an unselfish superstar (which he is), instead we're left to wonder what would have happened if the best goal scorer in the league had shot the puck.

Much has been made of the controversial calls costing the Caps. Every team that wins a playoff series must overcome questionable officiating; it is not the reason the Caps lost that game. The OT power play was justified, in fact, John Erskine should have been called for a tripping minor 30 seconds earlier. As for the Thoreson wipeout of Morrison and Huet that left the easy second goal? The more I watch the replay(and I've watched it a lot) I understand why there was no call. I'm not saying there couldn't have been a call, but I get why there wasn't. The NHL has said that Morrison played the puck and that's why Thoreson was allowed to check him. I don't know that Morrison played the puck, but the puck was certainly close enough that calling interference is dicey. Also remember that Caps fans are watching that play through a prism of their goalie being run all series. Tough no call, after cooling off I get it. I don't love it, but I get it.

There will be many more chances for the Washington Capitals to make pleasant playoff memories. It hurts like hell today, however, this is a team that underachieved before December not one that overachieved after. Better days await.