The Noon Number

.924- Capitals' shorthanded save percentage over the last 14 games, a dramatic turnaround from the .858 save percentage the team had over the first 18 games of the season. A few more notes on the recent penalty-killing success:

• Over the 14-game span, the Caps have killed off 40 of 45 shorthanded opportunities (88.9%), including 30 of 34 since Dale Hunter took over behind the bench.
• Discard the brutal 3-for-6 night the team had against the Panthers in Sunrise and the Caps have killed off 94.9% of their penalties over the other 13 games in this stretch.
• Despite his well-documented struggles, Tomas Vokoun has stopped 32 of the 33 power-play shots he's faced in this set.
• The team has a 1.60 3.97 goals against average on the kill over the last 14 games, down from 8.07 mark that preceded it.
• Karl Alzner, the team's leader in shortanded ice time, has been on the ice for only two power-play goals against since November 19. John Carlson, who's right behind him in SH TOI, has been on for one since that date. Mike Knuble, who's surprisingly third among forwards in penalty-killing ice time, has been on for one goal-against in that situation since October 27. Joel Ward has been on for two since opening night.