SEEN AND HEARD AT VERIZON CENTER
Brooks Laich isn’t a big fan of college sports or how some people obsess over them, but that hasn’t stopped him from another potentially successful year in the Capitals’ NCAA tournament pool. Laich is in the lead heading into this weekend and is two Final Four victories by North Carolina away from wrapping up first place.
“It is college basketball, and I know absolutely nothing about it,” Laich said. “I tried to pick the favorites and maybe an underdog here and there. The last two years I think I’ve been the runner-up.
“In Canada we don’t cover college sports, but we have a lot of American guys in here who have a sense of pride about their school or think they might know something about it. I will be happy to rub it in their face a little bit.”
Three people have Connecticut as the winner; if the Huskies prevail, team services manager Ian Anderson (third place) will win. Ten participants pegged half the Final Four correctly, while four have no teams remaining.
Laich is one of five people of the 19 involved who picked the Tar Heels to win. Coach Bruce Boudreau, who is in second but can’t pass Laich in the standings, also picked North Carolina.
“It is killing me,” Boudreau said. “I don’t like it. I want to be in first.”
— Corey Masisak
ADD IT UP
While post-lockout rule changes have made points easier to come by, the Caps could break the franchise record for most in a season. The Caps set the mark in the 1985-86 season with 107 points.
YearPoints after 78 gamesTotal (pace)
1985-86106107
1999-200097102
2008-09102107
THREE STARS
Tim Connolly
Set up the last three Sabres goals to make up for missing an empty net
Sergei Fedorov
First two-goal game since October — but his turnover led to the winner
Alex Ovechkin
A three-point night has him inching closer to Evgeni Malkin for the points lead
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