The flu has hit the Capitals and some players, including Boyd Gordon, are sent home. Despite that, the Capitals hold a full practice. Matt Hendricks believes that working on goal-scoring is the top priority. A scrimmage provides some laughs and smiles, but Mike Green leaves practice with a MCL injury.

Those laughs and smiles are gone after Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Even the referees got into the cursing wars; when Alex Ovechkin asks for an explanation for Alex Semin's ejection for cross-checking, the ref tells him that John-Michael Liles is "f***** cut wide open."

After the game, Bruce Boudreau doesn't stop cursing, but at least it's positive this time.

Great f****** game and you didn't get rewarded for it. But that's sometimes what happens. And you can't get discouraged by it. You got to f****** push through this little thing. And when it does, you'll already be where you have to be all the time. Don't get discouraged. I know it's f****** tough, but you played a good f***** game. Keep your head up. You play like that tomorrow, I guarantee you come away with two points.