Friday, I went my first (only?) Washington Capitals game of the season. It was an uninspiring effort that saw a 0-0 game in the first period quickly turn into a 3-0 New York Rangers lead. The Caps were playing without passion and the Rangers rather easily converted little mistakes into goals. Goalie Michael Neuvirth did not have a good game, but what was in front of him was the bigger problem. Though the Caps got goals from Troy Brouwer, John Carlson and Alex Ovechkin (first at home), they still lost 6-3. We pondered the fate of Bruce Boudreau after the game, so after Saturday’s loss to the Buffalo Sabres I was not shocked this morning when I learned that Bourdreau had been fired and replaced with another rookie NHL head coach, Caps legend Dale Hunter. That is certainly a transition that fans can approve of based on sentimentality, but I don’t know if Hunter’s perceived toughness in the locker room can be enough to get the Caps to the elite they should have reached already.

Surely, there are those who believe that Ovechkin, who was clearly not on the same page of Boudreau, is a coach-killer. Maybe he is, I would not argue otherwise. However, I’m beginning to wonder, if I am a coach killer myself too.

I have now seen the final home games of 3 D.C. head coaches or managers:

Jim Riggleman quit after a bottom of the ninth win during a stretch which the Washington Nationals had won 11 of 12. I found out on the Yellow Line as it pulled out of L’nfant Plaza.

I was at Frank Robinson’s final game at Nats manager too, back in 2006. We knew he was leaving though, it was announced his contract was not picked up. Oddly enough, I was at his final home game with Baltimore in 1991.

I think Mike Shanahan, Flip Saunders and Ben Olsen ought to hope I don’t go to any of their games anytime soon.