such great balance in the capitals line up they can score ovechkin a beautiful move. closing in. he scores. he scores. backstrom, bulls eye. 5-1. pgh >> with more than two months left in the season the southeast division is over capitals 8 game winning streak, team's longest in 21 years and 2 short of the franchise record gave them their biggest lead ever in the standings.

theodore could be back in net tomorrow night against the panthers he practiced earlier today. back to how hot this caps team is, there is no team in the nhl with a better offence. they are scoring almost 4 goals a game clip, best average in the league, plus 61 goals also tops. of the 15 games they scored 5 or more goals, 7 of them have come in this month alone and one of the reasons for the offensive explosion the play of semen. >> he goes about his business but you don't see a lot of emotion. he scores that goal and does the ovechkin leap and then gives you a pump. watch here what he does. see that is the sort of thing you are starting to see now the life of the team has even trickled down. i don't want to say he was dour, sour but never publicly emotional you never looked at him like obi. >> old school.

>> right. >> very stoic. >> when you see guys like that come out and embrace the environment it gives you the answer what you are talking about where this team is. >> now earlier on washington post live will the caps go for their 9th straight win as panthers come to town. good news for florida they are in second place. 21 points behind washington. we will get you ready for the opening face off at 6:30 p.m. here on comcast sportsnet. >> coming up, well, it is that classic game of he said she said. gilbert arenas, tells the commissioner to go ahead and suspend him? not according to the commissioner. >> hear what magic johnson has to say on agent 0s suspension when geico sportsnite returns. >> and jim zorn may not have to travel far for his next job the latest on where the z man may end up. this is geico sportsnite anncr vo: with the new geico glovebox app...

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jim zorn may be switching sides. the former redskins head coach met with the ravens today in mobile alabama and both sides will hold a formal interview tomorrow. sources also say zorn very much wants the job. stay tuned. >> well, gilbert arenas has always been entertaining and a bit of a story teller.

but following yesterday's suspension for the rest of the season he got creative with details again. chris miller spoke with gilbert after the decision came down and gilbert said about his meeting with the commissioner he said i did the crime let any do the time. i said let me do the whole season and i shocked him end quote. the version from the commissioner is different. >> miser stern, gilbert arenas asked to be suspended for the rest of the season and didn't want the players association to fight it. was this requested adds well? >> is that a statement? >> well, that is what the reports are saying is that gilbert asked to be suspended for the remainder of the season. >> where did you get that report from? >> reporter: sources out there are saying this? >> sources out there are saying it. >> reporter: so it is untrue?

>> that is not true. >> reporter: so he did not say that he wanted the players association to fight this then? >> i don't know what you are saying. he did not say he wanted the suspension and he wouldn't fight it. asked and answered. >> david -- i am laughing because david stern makes me laugh. >> that is what tmz stick to the entertainment. >> tmz sports coming in march. watch out. i am not ripping them they are hardly ever wrong. >> everyone has an opinion about gilbert arenas but only a select few can understand what it is like to carry the weight of celebrity that comes with being a super star athlete. magic johnson was at our affiliate this week. >> we have enough problem with guns in the inner city without an athlete who they all idolize carrying one into the locker room. so i hope this will send a

message not only to kids in urban cityall over but also to athletes. now we got two, we have lex go beurres situation and now we have -- plexico beurres situation and now gilbert arenas. you worked your whole life to get here and then you going to let a gun you know that is illegal, you are going to bring that or bring it to the a club, bring it to the place of work? that can't happen. so this should send a clear message to everybody whether they are in professional sports or not, especially to kids, that we just can't have this. >> what do you thing about gilbert arenas suspension go to csn washington.com for details. leave a comment with your thoughts. enter the key word wizards.

still to come on geico sportsnite. in a season full of dispointment will james son have one accurate to hang his hat on. nba all-star reserves are out. >> less than is a minutes -- 15 minutes away from the opening tip between 2 cavalierhokeys. bragging rights on the line. keys to the contest when geico sportsnite returns it't cth pper knowold mus. you!of te! exc... what grndwithan ♪ yout habe so nice ♪

>> tonight the chance to knock off their instate rivalry gin yeah tech coming up next on the

network. for more here are the games announcers. >> reporter: thank you kelly. no question that the arrival of tony bennett has the whos of virginia sizzling here. speaking of sizzling there is a pair of sophomores in tony bennett's back court, that have been out of sight with their play. raised their level from freshman to sophomore. >> last year they went through some growing pains but now they have it clicking. these are the one two punch. he can push it in the open court, very good knocking off screens, burke

has a lot of things, knacks, bruises, but one of baltimores finest. he will be ready for the game today. >> lead of the acc with those points and always an igniter of green berg's offence. the rivalry speaks for itself. who will lead the common wealth tonight virginia tech, virginia, with that back to the studios. comcast sportsnet. >> thanks a lot.

mba will announce the all-star reserves later tonight. but we are hoping to see jameson lacing up in in dallas valentines day? you are disappointed he is not going to the all-star game. he has been linked to several trade rumors. while he will not ask management to be shipped out, he was asked today at practice if he feels he has earned the right to seek a title elsewhere. >> have i earned the right to seek a championship period, but chris, when i signed that contracts. it was for four years. i got two more years left of this, and you know, it is my job. it is my duty you know. so i don't know, people ask me all the time, you know, they need -- i mean, i respect these guys and at that family they have done a lot for me they made a lot of things possible. they believed in me when a lot

of people didn't, so it would be easy to turn my back on them right now but this is my job this is what i am getting paid to do. >> all right. still ahead hokeys fans and calfs fans, straight up, do not like each other. we will have more on the big rivalry between charlottesville and black burg as we wrap up geico sportsnite sy-

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tonites line up presented by the ups store beginning in mere moments as hokeys and cavs start things off then at 1030 pack 10 hoops as they travel to

oregon >> you mention virginia tech to a virginia fan, sour face, few choice words same for hokeys fans in virginia. in just 4 minutes they clash at john paul jones arena for what is sure to be a battle to the finish. >> to say the rivalry between virginia tech and virginia is intense, the battle on the hard wood is becoming just as fierce. >> a great team. i mean being high school rivalry i don't think too highly of virginia. a turkey. no, honestly, just a rivalry going on,. >> on the football field the hokeys dominated the common wealth clash winning 6 straight against them, 10 of the last 11 on the basketball court it is a

different story. cavaliers successfully protected home court against the hokeys until one night in january two years ago. >> tech hasn't won in charlottesville since 1978 and the game came down to the final play. washington, just afreshish athlete made a marvelous play and got a scooping lay up to go with the buzzer. that was one of the most dramatic. >> when he got the last second lay up, and that was kind of felt better than wake forest. >> last year the two teams split the series with a struggling virginia earning 75- 61 win in charlottesville. this is a whole new season. the woohoo are thriving, hokeys are a fierce competitor in the acc conference leading scorer delane and their passionate head coach seth greenberg. >> it is apples and oranges they couldn't be more different

in terms of philosophy and approach. not to say one is better than the other but different styleway you go about things way you carry yourself. even the game of basketball but one thing that keeps those two together they are both preaching toughness. >> no doubt we will see some tough physical play when these two teams meet. >> i am sure it is going to be a real nice atmosphere and we just want to come out and give our heart to the fans and continue to try and play at a high level and hopefully erase the wake forest game from our minds. >> they are playing at a high level we need to improve in a lot of areas to remain competitive i like their team it is exciting. you know i am looking forward to the uncle fester signs. >> this is just saying my school is on top right now. we are the king right now. >> that will do it here for us on geico sportsnite. everything you ever wanted to

see, read or know is on csn washington.com. >> time to take you out to the common wealth in charlottesville enjoy the game