LANDOVER -- It was almost as if the Washington Capitals struck gold yesterday at the USAir Arena.
The lowest-scoring team in the NHL actually scored three goals in 5 minutes, 6 seconds of the third period to break up a 1-1 tie and skate to a 4-2 victory over the Quebec Nordiques, one of the two hottest teams in the league.
The Capitals had only scored three or more goals in a game four times this season.
So what got into this team?
"It was like a stretch drive, a must win, a new season," said Capitals coach Jim Schoenfeld. "It would have been easy for our players to say before the game 'We don't have a chance. Our captain [Dale Hunter, bruised left knee] is out, one of our big scorers [Joe Juneau, pulled muscle in lower back] is out, Rick Tabaracci [pulled hamstring] can't play, and we're playing one of the top teams in the league.' "
But Schoenfeld said his players "bonded together and made a commitment."
Washington goaltender Byron Dafoe, who made 22 saves, said it was simply time for this team to get serious.
"We've fooled around enough," said Dafoe, who was playing in his second game since being recalled from Phoenix of the International Hockey League on Feb. 14. "It's a big lift to know we can beat a team like Quebec [12-2 and winners of seven straight before last night]. If we can beat them, we have to realize we can beat anybody."
Craig Berube got the third-period run started for the Capitals (3-8-2) when he sent a shot high over the glove of Nordiques goaltender Stephane Fiset at 4:38 of the period for a 2-1 lead.
Berube was set up for his first goal of the season by Rob Pearson, who sent a perfect pass from the right circle to Berube. Sylvain Cote also got an assist.
"It wasn't anything fancy," said Berube. "I just shot it high and it went in. It wasn't like I was all hyped up to get my first goal. It was more like if the other guys see me score, they believe they can do it, too."
Berube was right.
Thirty-two seconds after Berube scored, Keith Jones scored off a pass from Steve Konowalchuk, who dug the puck out of the corner and got it to Jones.
Then Kelly Miller got the fever 4:34 later when he scored a power-play goal off a quick feed from Jason Allison.
Suddenly, it was 4-1 at 9:44 of the third period and all the Capitals had to do was hang on for the win.
They did just that and the crowd of 13,410 gave them a good ovation as they left the ice.
So maybe it isn't too late for the Capitals to get straightened out in this lockout-shortened season of 48 games.
"This game gives us confidence," said Berube. "We haven't been playing good hockey and we have to win the fans back. I know Coach Schoenfeld is feeling a lot better. He decided before the game that we should scrap everything that has happened this season and start over. It was one of those things where he knew he couldn't skate us into the ground anymore."
Hockey was fun again for the Capitals yesterday, but Schoenfeld said he couldn't take it easy on the team in practices just because it won a game.
"We have to work out hard enough to be in good condition," he said. "A win cures a lot of ills, but not everything. You have to maintain a high level of conditioning to win at this level."
The loss was a rare slip by the Nordiques, whose fast start has been surpassed only by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Said center Peter Forsberg: "We did not come prepared to play. They worked real hard and we needed to play just as hard to beat them."
Through the first two periods, it was obvious the Capitals were playing one of their better games of the season, but it looked as if they still might not escape with a win.
Peter Bondra gave Washington a 1-0 lead with his sixth goal of the season, a power-play score at 5:42 of the second period that was set up by Calle Johansson and Dimitri Khristich.
But Quebec came back less than four minutes later to tie the game on a Scott Young goal just 5 seconds after a Nordiques' power-play opportunity had gone by the boards.
Then it was more outstanding Washington play in an attempt to break the tie, but the score remained 1-1 until Berube took charge in the third period.