Calle Johansson

WASHINGTON - The Washington Capitals have gone beyond feeling as if they're walking a tightrope on ice skates. Last night, they played with the sense of urgency necessary to climb from three games below .500 and into the playoffs. But the Caps got precious little for it, as Washington lost to the Florida Panthers, 2-1. The Capitals made two - just two - costly mistakes, and that was the difference. And even those two blown coverages by the team's top line of Adam Oates, Jaromir Jagr, Dmitri Khristich, Joe Reekie and Sergei Gonchar that allowed goals by Ivan Novoseltsev and Pavel Bure might have been overcome if not for a stone-wall like performance by Florida goalie Roberto Luongo.

LANDOVER -- The Washington Capitals' Kevin Hatcher stepped into the NHL record book last night.Hatcher became the seventh defenseman in NHL history to score 30 goals in one season with a wrist shot in the first period of the Capitals' 5-1 victory over the Quebec Nordiques before 12,861 at the Capital Centre.It was only the ninth defeat on the road for the Nordiques, who have the league's best road record, 20-9-8. Quebec had won six of its last eight away games.With the win, Washington remained three points in front of third-place New Jersey, which defeated Tampa Bay, 9-3, last night.

The Washington Capitals' preparation for tonight's game in Buffalo was going on as usual at Piney Orchard Ice Arena yesterday, but the scene was eerily different. It was quiet on the ice. Every skate blade scraping the surface grated on the ears. Every tap of the stick echoed around the boards. The electricity that had surrounded the Capitals' drive toward the final Eastern Conference playoff spot the last month was gone. That's the way it is the day after elimination. With two games left, the Caps know they aren't going anywhere.

LANDOVER -- The Washington Capitals emerged from their version of purgatory last night. On their sixth attempt this season, the Capitals finally reached .500 with a strong-checking, 3-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens."

Washington Capitals goalie Jim Carey has heard the predictions and seen the preseason reviews. The Capitals are supposed to be the fifth-best team in the National Hockey League and one of the top contenders for the Stanley Cup."Five months ago, we were physically beaten up going into the playoffs and no one gave us even a small chance of beating the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs," said Carey, who earned the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goalie in the regular season.

The New York Rangers made the down-to-the-wire race to the playoffs in the Patrick Division just a little more interesting yesterday when they acquired left wing/center Esa Tikkanen and his $900,000 salary from the Edmonton Oilers for center Doug Weight.The addition of Tikkanen gives the Rangers seven players making $900,000 or more, with Mark Messier topping the list at $2.385 million.Tikkanen, 28, had 14 goals and 19 assists before last night's game between the Rangers and Oilers and is recognized as one of the best defensive forwards in the game, having been a three-time finalist for the Selke Trophy that goes to the NHL's best defensive player.

WASHINGTON - Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Capitals, said he was once told life has only three acts. It is the third act - redemption and comeback - that interests Leonsis as his NHL team plays its first game of the season tonight. "I've been living the second act," said Leonsis, describing the plot this way: The new kid comes out of nowhere to score success in the first act, gets overconfident and too big for his britches and takes a tumble into reality in Act 2. "We're back at square one, where we have to make the playoffs," said the owner.

Opponent: Tampa Bay LightningSite: ThunderDome, St. Petersburg, Fla.Time: 7:30TV/Radio: Ch. 20/WMAL (630 AM)Outlook: The Capitals, 12-12-7 and in a tight race for the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference standings, are 9-2-2 in their past 13 games, but 0-1-1 in their past two. D Calle Johansson returns to the lineup after missing two games with the flu. In Tampa Bay, the Caps face a team that is on a mini-hot streak, having won three of its past four games....

The Washington Capitals learned yesterday that defenseman Calle Johansson could be out up to five weeks with a fractured right wrist.Johansson was injured in a fall near the end of the Capitals' 4-2 loss at Pittsburgh on Thursday. He joins defensemen Brendan Witt (broken wrist) and Ken Klee (groin) and forwards Steve Konowalchuk (broken thumb), Keith Jones (groin) and Craig Berube (knee) on the injured list.The good news for the Caps was that X-rays of defenseman Joe Reekie's left foot showed only a bruise.

The Washington Capitals will celebrate Halloween with Costume Night when they entertain the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at the Capital Centre at 7:35.The Capitals, off to the best start in team history (9-3-0), will be playing their first home game since a five-game trip in which they won three games, including an 8-0 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh.Washington, which has lost only to the Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets, is unbeaten in the Patrick Division and is one point behind Vancouver and the Montreal Canadiens for the overall lead in the NHL. Toronto (3-8-1)