Let's look back to last season for a moment. It's early March and the Capitals have all but locked up the Southeast Division and a tick next to their name indicating they're a playoff team. Ovie's cruising to another Hart Trophy, Backstrom is continuing his development into a superstar and Mike Green is the hottest offensive defenseman on the planet.

The 2009 trade deadline comes and...nothing. No additions or subtractions, just nothing.

The Caps go on to have a less-than-memorable March, waiting until the later stages of the month to officially lock up the Southeast Division title and enter the playoffs in underwhelming fashion.

Were the Caps complacent? Sure seemed like it. What did the Caps have to fight for in those last weeks? Nothing really, just individual stats and a slim chance at the Presidents' Trophy.

So now let's move to March 4, 2010.

The Caps are in first place, have all but locked up the Southeast Division and are in a race for the President's Trophy. But it's a little different this time.

Matt Bradley is sitting in the press box as deadline acquisition Scott Walker fills his spot in the lineup and scores two goals, including the game-winner, against Tampa Bay. Joe Corvo is manning the powerplay points with Mike Green and Eric Belanger is centering Eric Fehr and Tomas Fleischmann while David Steckel joins Bradley in the press box. Oh, and let's not forget the ongoing battle for the No. 1 goalie spot between Semyon Varlamov and Jose Theodore.

The difference between the two seasons? Not just the players, but the drive to win in March. Roster spots are on the line. Valuable playoff sweaters will be won and lost over the next six weeks and a goalie is still to be named the definitive No. 1.

The Capitals, more than ever, can't afford to slack off in March. For some, their jobs depend on it.

George McPhee's trades may not have been blockbusters, but they have given the Caps reason to fight hard until the last regular season puck drops.

I'm too young to remember the original Miracle on Ice. In fact, I wasn't even alive for it. All my generation knows about the miracle game is that Russia lost to the biggest underdog in sporting history during a time when it seemed American world power was waning. My generation watches ESPN Classic wanting to have lived that moment and shared in its triumph but, alas, it was not our time.

It's doubtful any hockey game will ever be as miraculous as the Russia vs. USA match of 1980, but at least for our generation  we have 5-3.

Sunday night's 5-3 victory over the Canadians could be dismissed as just a game for a few reasons. It was only a preliminary match, every team goes to the playoffs and the United States team wasn't filled with college players, but professionals. I'm sure the criticisms only start there.

The game will be likened to the Miracle on Ice by some, but perhaps it's not so much a "miracle" as it is just a classic. Still, we're just one day short of the 30th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice and it's hard to not draw some small comparisons.

Sunday night, a team composed of young NHL talent defeated a literal NHL All-Star team in the international spotlight. And they did it convincingly, showing that despite the gaps in age or the supposed gaps in skill, the American team could and can compete with the best in the world.

The Miracle on Ice was shown after the fact to many Americans on tape delay. What makes this game special is that not only did we experience the game in our living rooms with family and friends, but with our countrymen through social media.

#DoYouBelieveinMillercles trended throughout the night as Buffalo Sabres' goalie Ryan Miller turned away the likes of Dany Heatley, Sidney Crosby, Rick Nash and Jarome Iginla. Miller's play robbed the Canadians of sure chances that other goaltenders would not have been able to stop in their wildest dreams.

Together, as a Twitter nation, we watched Patrick Kane dangle through defenders, and elder player Brian Rafalski put two goals behind Martin Brodeur. Then the Internet erupted into a victory cheer when Ryan Kesler's gusty diving one-handed swipe sent the puck into an empty net, sealing the game.

5-3. Instant classic.

We can try to draw comparisons to the legendary 1980 American team for the next few days, but at least for a moment let's just revel in what might have been the greatest game of hockey this season. Yes, even better than Capitals vs. Penguins on Super Bowl Sunday...by a long shot.

Maybe this game isn't so much a miracle as it is a start of an improbable run to a gold medal. Only time will tell. But the hockey only starts to get good from here; after all, we still have a week and a gold medal round left.

It's not a miracle, but yes, it's a Miller-cle.

Hello Mr. Program Director, it's me again.

Yes I know we've had our tiffs in the past few days, but I believe we should work together to mend these festering wounds. Sure, you once again pre-empted a hockey game for the end of a curling match, but I think I can speak in a language we both understand.

Allow me to present to you a simple visual aid for your enjoyment.

Here's how many people care about overtime in Curling...

And here's how many people want to watch Olympic hockey in general...

I rest my case.

Hockey, television and beer.

A perfect line combination, no? With so much Olympic hockey to watch and commentators bringing up the same facts over and over, perhaps a drinking game will keep you from moving your fingers over the mute button. And since most Caps fans are caught up in Alex Oveckhin's exploits with Team Russia, what better a team to highlight?

Without further delay, the Team Russia drinking game. Of course in the great tradition of drinking games, feel free to add your own rules...

Drink...

...every time the announcers mention Alexander Ovechkin plays for the Capitals.

...every time the announcers make a comment about Alex Semin playing with Ovechkin in Washington.

...every time the commentators mention the incredible chemistry Ovechkin and Semin have.

...every time Semin falls down.

...every time Sidney Crosby is brought up during a Team Russia game.

...every time the heated Malkin vs. Ovechkin rivalry is brought up.

...every time the announcers talk about Alexander Radulov leaving the Nashville Predators for the KHL.

...every time the announcers mention a current KHL player used to play for an NHL team.

...every time a current Capital or former Capital scores (Ovechkin, Semin, Kozlov, Fedorov). Double if it's on the power play. Finish it if it's on the penalty kill.

...every time the Miracle on Ice game is mentioned during a Team Russia game. Double if Vladislav Tretiak's name is brought up.

...every time the Russians' current performance is compared to the Canadians' last performance.

*INTERMISSION DRINKS*

...every time Mike Milbury talks about Ovechkin. Double if he mentions Crosby in his analysis.

...every time Jeremy Roenick gives Milbury a disgusted look. Double if they get into an argument. Finish your six-pack if they drop the gloves.

...every time one of the commentators brings up a player not involved in the current game. Double if it's Mike Richards.

...every time NBC shows a "How to Train Your Dragon" commercial.

...every time you hear Morgan Freeman's voice. Double if it's not in a VISA ad.

Feel free to add your own rules in the comments below.

While I can't say much nice about NBC's Olympic coverage thus far, I can report that the peacock is mindful that your boss may not like you watching live curling or hockey during the work day. If you didn't already know, NBC is streaming just about every curling and hockey match on the Internet through NBCOlympics.com

So say you're caught up in a hardcore match of preliminary curling instead of working (Woo! Brooms!). Suddenly, you hear footsteps. You peep your eyes above your cubicle, look left, right, and then...busted. The boss man catches you caught up in the eighth end instead of working.

Well next time, be sure to click the button that says BOSS in your lower right-hand corner and...

...Ta da! It's like you're really an accountant for a major business firm! Sure you work in marketing and your computer may not even have Microsoft Excel loaded on it, but hell, you're smarter than him anyway.

Bravo NBC, bravo.

I'm not going to come out and make an outlandish statement like, "I'm a better program director than whoever's in charge of the Olympic broadcast on NBC," but after reading Washington Post TV Columnist Tom Shales' glowing review of the peacock's Olympic cover, I felt compelled to say something.

In my opinion, if anything NBC is failing to deliver the basic necessities of great Olympics coverage: live events, features on interesting athletes from the United States and other countries and smart programming choices.

NBC displayed the latter of the list Feb. 17 when the start of the Canada vs. Norway men's hockey game was delayed 17 minutes for the end of a women's preliminary curling match between the United States and Japan on MSNBC.

Close to one whole period of hockey. And what were the other NBC affliates up to? USA opted to show a rerun of the drama "White Collar." SyFy showed some thrilling third-rate action film squeezed in just before professional wrestling, and CNBC finished up the United States women's hockey team's 13-0 slaughter of Russia (as if the program director couldn't determine the game was no contest after the 10th goal).

Now I'm not saying a game in progress needs to be cut away from just to serve male hockey fans, but it was halfway through the first period before NBC had the Canadian hockey game running on another network, dubbing it "bonus coverage." Not a word was spoken on Twitter, Facebook or the NBC Web site to guide confused viewers to their destination.

Pathetic.

As for live events, well, you're probably better off watching an Internet stream from Russia, England or Canada if you want to experience the thrill of live Olympic sports. I understand some sports are held back for the primetime show, but when social media is ruining the results in real-time, it's hard to care about the force-feed package of sports NBC has waiting at 8 p.m.

Swing and a miss, Tom.

Still searching for an Olympic nation to cheer for? Have you tried the rest and are ready to cheer for the best?
Sure, you could cheer for the Swiss, Norwegians, Latvians or some former Soviet bloc country, but let's get serious. You want to cheer for the gold, and you don't want to pick the wrong horse. Well, Caps Kremlin is here to offer some emotional guidance.

The True North, strong and free
Canada

NHL Superstars: Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Martin Brodeur, Chris Pronger...just about their entire damn team.
Emotional reason you should like them: Canada's batting average for gold medals at home is pretty pathetic. So if you're looking for the "underdog that isn't really the underdog" story, the red maple leaf is the choice for you. You can also brag about Alexandre Bilodeau's men's mogul gold to piss off Australians. See, bandwagoning the frontrunner isn't so bad.
Reason to hate them: Maybe you're one of those people who can't stand Sidney Crosby. Maybe you just don't want to go with the popular choice, or perhaps you were accosted by a maple leaf in a dark alleyway. Either way, hating on the host country is a worldwide pastime and it's perfectly fine to hop on this bandwagon too. Plus, someone's got to pay for that neck-beard poet rant in the opening ceremonies...
Washington Capitals on the roster: Nada. Cero. (Insert international word for none).

Its mighty wings spread above us
The Russian eagle is hovering high
Russia

NHL Superstars: Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Semin, Evgeni Nabokov...mostly Russian NHLers with a smattering of KHLers.
Why you should cheer for them: Assuming you're a Caps fan coming across this blog, the answer is quite simple -- Capitals players! Plus any Team Russia merchandise you buy doubles as Capitals gear. You also get be a fan of the tournament's featured villain and enjoy smack talking the Canadians throughout in the safety of another group.
Reason to hate them: Maybe you're a true-blue American who doesn't want to see the Ruskies win a gold medal on North American soil. Perhaps you like this concept known as "defense" and aren't a fan of the high-flying offensive style the Russians will employ. There's plenty of reasons to not cheer for the Russians, but as a Caps fan I imagine it will be hard to find one.
Washington Capitals on the roster: Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Semyon Varlamov and former Caps Sergei Fedorov and Viktor Kozlov.

Thou ancient, thou free and mountainous North
Thou quiet and joyful beauty!
Sweden

NHL Superstars: Nicklas Backstrom, Henrik Lundqvist, Henrik Zetterburg, most of the Detroit Red Wings...
Reason you should cheer for them: Tired of the constant Russia vs. Canada chatter? So is the nation of Sweden, whose national hockey team possesses some of the NHL's best talent and hasn't received a fraction of the hype the Canadians and Russians have enjoyed. Plus you get to cheer for the NHL's most overlooked superstar, Nicklas Backstrom.
Reason to hate them: Their girlfriends are out of your league, they have beautiful blonde hair and chances are some Swedish hockey player is hitting on your lady-friend as we speak. Okay, maybe not, but for a team that has been standing in the media shadows of Canada and Russia, it's a little hard to not want to see them upset the popular picks. Keep in mind, they won gold in 2006, so there's another reason to dislike them, past victories.
Washington Capitals on the roster: Nicklas Backstrom.

O'er the land of the free,
And the home of the brave.
United States of America

So, who ya got?

Caps: 5
Sens: 6
CK's Hard Hat Winner: Anton Volchenkov. The Sens had two goalies, one who stood between the pipes and one who roamed around like a missile defense system programmed to block Ovechkin shots.

You can't say the Capitals aren't streaky. This was the third game in a row to feature a hat trick and the team's second consecutive loss. Hey, I'm all about building new streaks, but let's build them upward maybe?

The thing about hat tricks is that when you get them you typically shouldn't lose. Alex Semin's hat trick was a joy to watch, but just about every Capital can be held accountable for a messy first period. The Caps have been exceptional in the third period, but they have to stop losing the first.

While both the Sens and Caps didn't have any winning streaks to defend, there were plenty of storylines to follow, most notably the return of Varlamov. Varly was okay, good at times even, but ultimately underwhelming. Then again he did have to start on the road at the tail end of a back-to-back set of games, so let's not be too harsh.

So it's on to St. Louis, where the Caps can hopefully find their footing (looking at you, Mike Green) before a two-week break where NBC decides to snub hockey for pretty little sequins.