Randy Burridge

LANDOVER -- Steve Heinze scored two goals and assisted on one and Ray LaBlanc made 32 saves to lead the U.S. Olympic team to a 5-3 victory over the Washington Capitals last night before 10,526 at the Capital Centre.Heinze, property of the Boston Bruins, scored Team USA's first goal and the team's go-ahead goal and assisted on the final goal. LeBlanc, property of the Chicago Blackhawks, gave up two first-period goals, then shut the door."Washington is a very good NHL team, and that was a very big win for us," said Clark Donatelli, who played on the 1988 Olympic team and assisted on Team USA's second goal last night.

The Washington Capitals will play the Detroit Red Wings tonight, and it couldn't be more fitting. What may well be the final duel between the brothers Murray -- Washington coach Terry and Detroit coach Bryan -- will be played on neutral ice at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.Certainly it will be a game filled with undercurrents and emotions.Three years ago, Terry Murray took over the Capitals' coaching job when the club fired Bryan, who later moved on to become Detroit's coach and general manager.

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Within 24 hours, the goals were gone.In the second game of the Washington Capitals' weekend against teams at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, their offense evaporated in a 4-1 loss to the Hartford Whalers before 9,747 last night at the Civic Center.Coming off an 11-2 victory Friday over the worst team in the conference (Ottawa, with 17 points), the Capitals could have carried their biggest offensive output of the season over against the conference's second-worst team.

MIAMI -- Washington Capitals defender Kevin Hatcher best summarized what each of his teammates painfully have discovered:The Florida Panthers are for real.If a Florida win and a tie earlier this season weren't proof enough, then Washington's 5-1 loss last night at Miami Arena eliminated any doubt. An expansion team -- one that didn't even have players seven months ago -- moved past the Capitals for eighth place in the Eastern Division at the All-Star break."Everyone thinks they're for real," said Hatcher, whose team now trails Florida by two points (46-44)

The Washington Capitals' early season success has made the rest of the NHL take notice.Washington usually begins the season on a sour note, struggles through the first three months, starts to find itself around the first of the year and makes a late-season surge to get into the playoffs.Not so this season. The Capitals have done a complete turnaround. They came out of the gate flying and give no indication of letting up. They are off to their best start (11-3-0) in franchise history, have scored the most goals (67)

LANDOVER -- The Washington Capitals know they're in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the 12th consecutive year, but there was no dancing in the locker room at USAir Arena yesterday.Instead, as the Capitals went out to practice for tonight's game against the Winnipeg Jets there was a quiet determination to go on from here."It feels pretty good," said defenseman Calle Johansson. "But we've seen when we let down, we're not that good a team. We've still got to be on our toes. We've got two games remaining and if we want to finish as high as we can, we have to win those games."

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- In their first game back after the 10-day NHL players strike, the Washington Capitals treated the fans in half-empty Meadowlands Arena last night to a gritty, 4-3 comeback victory in overtime over the New Jersey Devils.Peter Bondra scored the game-winner 2:15 into overtime.Instead of looking flat, the Capitals skated reasonably well, made some nice offensive rushes and even threw around the bodies in the third period.With two more regular-season tuneups before the playoff opener Sunday at the Capital Centre, there was reason for a positive outlook.

BaseballGiants: Promoted Ned Colletti to assistant GM and Dick Tidrow to director of player personnel. Named Bobby Bonds special assistant for player personnel and Jim Davenport roving instructor/special assignment scout.Royals: Traded P Melvin Bunch to Expos for OF Yamil Benitez.Tigers: Radio broadcaster George Kell, a Hall of Famer and former Oriole, retired as radio broadcaster after 37 seasons.White Sox: Signed P Wilson Alvarez.BasketballClippers: Placed C Dwayne Schintzius (strained lower back)

LANDOVER -- Forty shots. Not both teams combined; each team. A slap shot festival. Short course speedskating at its best."An interesting game from all aspects," Washington Capitals coach Terry Murray said of the 6-4 fast-forward game with Pittsburgh.Across the way, Penguins coach Scotty Bowman said, "Balder--," or words to that effect.A short pause while you figure out which team won.Winning Caps goalie Don Beaupre acted as if 40 shots get hammered his way every day. "Maybe the fact I felt good and sharp right from the start has something to do with it," he said.

The Washington Capitals continue to be the premier team in the NHL. They have the best record in the league (15-4-0), have scored the most goals (96), are unbeaten against Patrick Division opponents (9-0-O), have won four in a row and seven of their past eight games, are averaging 5.05 goals and have scored five or more goals in 13 of their 19 games."I could see we were becoming a good team at the end of the last season," said Capitals general manager David Poile. "It was just a matter of everything coming together.