The +/- effect

In case you haven't noticed, the Capitals have four players in the top five +/- leaders.

The stat not only shows the dominance that the Semin-Ovechkin-Backstrom (S.O.B) line has enjoyed recently, but might also be a sign of things to come.

For example, last year, the Red Wings had had four players in the top 10 +/- leaders, three in the top five.

The result? A Stanley Cup.

At the end of the 2006-2007 season, the Ottawa Senators had five players in the top 10 +/- leaders.

The result? A trip to the Stanley Cup Finals but a loss to the Anaheim Ducks.

The correlation is obvious. Teams with players who can produce and play solid defense, typically perform well in the postseason.

So if the Capitals (and the S.O.B line) keep on this course, Verizon Center could be rocking the red in the middle of May.