Swengali: Caps Have Built Something Great

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HOLDING COURT FRIDAY NIGHT night inside the Capitals' locker room, Ted Leonsis bypassed a toast in favor of a boast.

Any why not? His team — which only months ago was on its way to a third straight terrible season with few fans to show for it — had just won its first playoff game in five years in front of a sold-out crowd sporting mohawks and red jerseys.

"We've built something really special here, and it's going to stay for a long, long time," said the Capitals' owner, who was also wearing one of his team's red jerseys.

Just before the 2004 lockout, Leonsis and General Manager George McPhee took a wrecking ball to a solid team that would never have been good enough to win the Stanley Cup and started over.

Millions of dollars were lost — "What's $100 million amongst friends?" quipped Leonsis — but the Capitals also won the lottery.

The day Alex Ovechkin fell into Washington's lap, the franchise had someone to build around. As Ovechkin has grown, so has the team. In the Russian's best year, which should result in the NHL's MVP award, Leonsis' patience paid off with the series against Philadelphia.

For the past two months, fans have filled Verizon Center, and, in their most impressive feat yet, shouted down Philly fans Friday.

A victory in Game 2 Sunday would have been nice. But, in a way, Leonsis has already won.

Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post