Dwayne Roloson Records Shutout in Tampa Bay Debut

by Adam Gretz

Filed under: Capitals, Lightning

Over the past three years the NHL's Southeast Division has been a boring and predictable one horse race dominated by the Washington Capitals. They've owned the division, winning it in each of the past three seasons by an average margin of 11 points, including a 38-point gap a season ago. The only other club from the Southeast to qualify for the playoffs over that period has been the 2008-09 Carolina Hurricanes, who finished in second place that year and made an unexpected run to the Eastern Conference Finals before being quickly swept in four straight games.

This year, however, the Capitals appear to have some real competition.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Atlanta Thrashers have turned themselves into playoff contenders, while Carolina and Florida are also hanging around the playoff pack currently occupying the No's 9 and 10 seeds. On Tuesday, the Capitals and Lightning faced off in Washington tied for the top spot in the division, which the Tampa Bay eventually captured thanks to its 1-0 overtime win.

 

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