Things looking up for Caps

The Washington Capitals allowed one goal in beating visiting Carolina and Edmonton last weekend.

A tired Calgary team with one legitimate scorer and two injured goalies is all that stands between the Caps and their first three-game winning streak in a year tonight.

And owner Ted Leonsis says he doesn’t see trading underachieving $11million man Jaromir Jagr.

For a change, this is a good time to be the Washington Capitals — even though a return to the playoffs is less likely than there being no season come October because of the possibility of a lockout by the NHL’s owners after the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires this summer.

That latter prospect is also helping keep Jagr — tied for 10th in the league in points but 30th in goals before last night’s games — in Washington despite persistent trade rumors, mostly involving the New York Rangers.

“Jaromir is a great player,” Leonsis said on WTOP-AM’s “Ask The Owner” program yesterday. “He has been a good teammate. I’m happy that he’s on the team. There’s a reason that [linemate] Robert Lang is leading the league in scoring. Jaromir makes $11million a year, and no one knows what the CBA is going to look like, [so] I think he’ll be part of our team for a long, long time.

“Certainly the results aren’t there, but I’m glad that we brought Jaromir in,” Leonsis continued. “He didn’t put a gun to my head to sign him to a long-term deal. Imagine the backlash had we brought him in for two years [in the 2001 trade with Pittsburgh] and then lost him to free agency.”

But despite Lang’s 49 points, Lang’s 40 and Sergei Gonchar’s league-leading 35 assists, the Caps were 13-26-4-1 and 13 points out of the playoffs before last night because of the NHL’s second-worst defense. Leonsis, a season-ticket holder for seven years before he bought the Caps in 1999, was heartened by last weekend’s stalwart defense but wants it to become the habit it used to be.

“You always knew you were going to get in-your-face, hard-nosed hockey with the Caps,” he said. “That was kind of the team we had when I bought the team. We were able to add more offense to it [with the additions of Jagr and Lang from the Penguins], but for whatever reason the chemistry still isn’t there. We still have some genetic engineering left to do to keep the old-style hockey personality and weave in some of that flair.”

Coach Glen Hanlon, 5-8-3 since replacing the fired Bruce Cassidy on Dec.10, agrees.

“We only gave up six scoring chances at even strength last game, our penalty-killing was much better and Olie [Kolzig] was great,” Hanlon said of a 1-0 victory over the Oilers in which veteran goalie Kolzig recorded his first shutout of the season.

“I liked it that even after we got the lead against a tired team that we didn’t try to get ridiculous and just open it up. We stayed patient and played responsible. The next step is to translate that into more scoring opportunities.”

Notes — Center Dainius Zubrus was excited about trying to skate for the first time since breaking a foot while blocking a shot in Buffalo on Dec.31. However, Zubrus had barely hit the ice when he returned to the locker room looking downcast and saying, “It’s not ready.” He has been expected to miss two to four weeks. With Zubrus and left wing Brian Willsie (concussion) still not practicing and Michael Nylander (leg) and John Gruden (concussion) out long term, the Caps won’t have any healthy scratches tonight against Calgary at MCI Center. …

NewsChannel 8 will carry Virginia Gov. Mark Warner’s State of the State address tonight, so the Caps’ game will be joined in progress. The entire game can be seen in areas served by CN8. In addition, MHZ 2 (Comcast) will carry the game on these channels: District — Channel 7; Charles — Channel 47; Montgomery — Channel 96; Prince George’s — Channel 25; Andrews Air Force Base — Channel 12; Alexandria — Channel 25; Arlington — Channel 25; Fairfax — Channel 28; Prince William — Channel 53; Reston — Channel 13; Loudoun — (Adelphia) Channel 13; DirecTV — Channel 53 or 971 (depending on receiver); and Dish Network — Channel 8084.