The Post In Which I Talk About Hockey

I had a very weird sensation when I read The Washington Post sports page this morning: Excitement. Excitement about a hockey game. Not enough to write about it, mind you, but enough to look forward to the drop of the puck tonight.
But then I got an email about said hockey game from a FOTB (Friend of the Blog). Becker pointed out that I almost never talk about hockey on this site. And he's right. There are a few reasons for this, I think:
1) I don't care for the NHL regular season. Along with the NBA, I think the NHL's regular season is way too long and meaningless. It's one thing to play a ton of games to narrow down a playoff field to a small number of elite teams (as in baseball); it's another to play a ton of games to eliminate half of the league. This is why I don't really follow the NHL or NBA regular seasons, other than to keep up with the Bullets, Caps and Hornets (whom I root for because of Chris Paul).
2) Even though I'll flip to a Caps game every now and then (particularly when they're on in HD), I really know nothing about hockey. Me talking about the NHL would be like when Bill Simmons try to talk about college basketball. At least one of us has the good sense to know our limitations. I do like the sport of hockey though; it's great to watch live. I'm definitely a fair-weather fan when it comes to the Caps. I'm not ashamed of this; mainly because when they're good I don't proclaim to be a huge fan. When they made the Stanley Cup Finals in '98, I went to a few games in the playoff run and watched every contest. If they make the playoffs this year, I'll watch. And I'll root. But I won't live and die with the team, nor will I act like they're "mine".
3) The Caps haven't been any good since I started this site. However, since they fired Glen Hanlon in mid-season, they have been one of the best teams in hockey. And even a hockey-greenhorn like myself can appreciate the awesomeness of Alex Ovechkin. I saw him play last year at the Verizon Center and commented, perhaps drunkenly, that he was one of the most exciting athletes I've ever seen live. The place was electric every time he touched the puck. (Note: I did, indeed, write this. Scroll to the bottom.)
Currently, the MVP-to-be (is he the presumptive MVP? I know he's the first guy to score 60 goals in about 15 years, so I assume he'll get the award, but I don't know. And this is why I don't write about hockey) and the Caps are two points out of first place in the Southeast Division, behind Carolina. Those two teams meet tonight in the biggest hockey game to hit these parts in a long while. If the Caps win, they'll still be alive for the playoffs with two games remaining. If they lose, they'll essentially be eliminated. The puck drops in 15 miutes. I'll be watching. And I'm sure Becker will be too.

Update: The Caps beat the Hurricanes, 4-1. The two teams are now tied atop the Southeast Division.