Tuesday Roundup/Caps 4, Flames 2

[NHL.com Recap - Official Scoresheet - Official Super Stats]

It's hard to put your finger on precisely what led to a Capitals performance in Calgary last night that was 180 degrees from Saturday night's effort in Edmonton. It could have been that they battled for every puck like it was the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Finals. It could have been that I was wearing my Kris Beech Calgary Hitmen jersey (yes, really). It could have been the Willie Nelson, it could have been the wine. Whatever it was, it worked and produced the Caps' most complete 60-minute effort of the season and a very satisfying win.

Olie Kolzig was sharp, Richard Zednik had his best game of the season (even before his two goals), and Alex Ovechkin hit everything that moved (including Dion Phaneuf twice on one shift early). With the exception of the worst Shaone Morrisonn decision/pass of all-time (and that's saying something) and a breakdown in coverage as Kristian Huselius danced around the top of the Washington zone, the Caps played a nearly picture-perfect road game and now get to come home having earned five points in four games including bookend wins in Colorado and Calgary on this season-long road trip.

The WaPo's recap is here, and the WTimes... well, the game ended past Dave Fay's bed time, I guess.

Great road trip, and we're left with a couple questions: Was this the beginning of one of Zednik's famed hot streaks? And did anyone miss Steve "healthy scratch" Eminger?

Daily Awards

• Hart: Richard Zednik (2G, including GWG, A, +2, 8 SOG)
• Ross: Mats Sundin, Keith Tkachuk, Richard Zednik (3 points each)
  
• Norris: Brent Sopel (2G, +2, 4 SOG)
  
• Vezina: Robert Esche (26-save shutout win)
  
• Richard: Peter Forsberg, Darcy Tucker, Brent Sopel (2G each)
  
• Calder: Dustin Penner (G, A, +1)
  
• Aiken: J.-S. Giguere (W, 5 goals allowed on 24 shots against)