The Washington Capitals are within two points of first place in the Southeast Division, a team definitely on the uptick after sweating out a win that included a first career hat trick from Troy Brouwer and a goal from Alex Ovechkin. And if, along the way, they had to add to the misery of the Tampa Bay Lightning -- the team that swept Washington out of last year's playoffs -- so be it. The Capitals beat the Lightning 4-3 in a temperamental game Friday night, giving Washington its sixth win in eight games and Tampa Bay its sixth straight loss.
