They are grinders. When right wing Kelly Miller, center Dave Poulin or left wing Craig Berube is on the ice, the opposing team knows it is in for a physical and wily confrontation.
Now, the three are playing on the same line, and they have made coach Jim Schoenfeld look like a genius.
Thursday was their debut as linemates. And what the Buffalo Sabres got a taste of was a bit frightening.
Miller, Poulin and Berube are known for their hard checking, but since being together, they not only have stymied opposing offenses, but also created scoring opportunities of their own.
Only the lightning reflexes of Buffalo goalie Dominik Hasek prevented their several odd-man breakaways from finding the net.
It was the beginning.
In Saturday night's 3-2 Washington victory over the Florida Panthers, everyone found out what the line is capable of.
Together, they had four points, including a short-handed goal by Poulin and an even-strength score by Miller on which Berube knocked down the Panthers' clearing pass and got it to Poulin, who saw Miller going to the net.
"If we're going to be together, we want to be a momentum changer," said Poulin. "The way we play and grind down low and the way we create our scoring chances from grinding down low, that can change momentum. We aren't necessarily looking to score. I mean you are, but more than that, we were looking to change the momentum."
They did it at least twice Saturday. Poulin got the first goal of the night, to put pressure on Florida early. And 21 seconds after Florida had taken a 2-1 lead, Miller's goal tied it and gave the momentum back to Washington.
They are a combination of outspokenness (Berube), determination (Miller) and craftiness (Poulin).
Poulin, who looked old beyond his 36 years last season before finding he had asthma and learning how to control it, is playing as if he is 25 again.
The center has scored 202 goals in his career. On the Capitals, only Dale Hunter (278) has more.
"What you do when you're put together as a line is play your best and try to force the situation," said Poulin, who also teams with Miller on a penalty-killing unit. "You want to be a line that is looked to in a certain situation or a certain time in a game and answer. I'd like to be that, and we can be that."
Miller, who had played on a line with Mike Ridley (traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs) for more than nine years -- so long that New York Rangers broadcaster Sal Messina once said that seeing Miller on a line without Ridley is like having peanut butter without jelly -- has found a similar player in Poulin, someone who plays sound defense, dogs the puck and plays smart.
And Berube, who is known primarily for his physical skills, now has two linemates who can match his grit and take advantage of the openings he creates.
"We're not fancy players," said Berube. "We're three guys who are going to grind it out. And we can make a difference. We can be competitive and beat any line we're against. And we can change the flow, like Davey says.
"Like the stuff that was going on before Killer's [Miller's] goal. Florida was controlling the puck, taking over the game. But then we came in and controlled the puck for over a minute. It mattered."
During last season's playoffs, Poulin and Miller showed what they could do together when they took on the Pittsburgh Penguins' Mario Lemieux line.
"Rids and I complemented each other," said Miller. "I think through the years, we took each other's game to a new level. When Rids was traded, I thought Dave would be one guy who I could play with like that. I thought the playoff series showed some of that.
"And now with Craig, who always gives his whole heart every minute he's on the ice, I think we have three guys with a lot of desire and willingness to do whatever it takes to win."