Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

There has been one team in the National Hockey League that has underachieved more than anyone else this season so far in the Washington Capitals. I would watch out though because the Capitals are starting to wake up with three straight wins now to move to 5-8-1 for the season. The biggest thing that grabs my attention is that it hasn’t been Alex Ovechkin who has brought this team back from the depths of despair.

It is Mike Ribeiro, who now has 17 points in just 14 games. Riberio has three goals and four assists over the last five games as Washington has begun to make a turnaround. If the Capitals can get their act together and Ovechkin begins to play like his normal self again, Washington becomes a team that could wreck a lot of seasons for many talented teams in the Eastern Conference. Ovechkin had scored in five straight games before being shut out on Thursday but there is no reason why Ovechkin can’t start another streak beginning this weekend.

The style of hockey in the NHL is going to tighten up as this season goes on and won’t be as high-flying as it has been early on. If players like Ribeiro keep scoring on a regular basis and Ovechkin does what he normally does along with better work from the team’s goalies, Washington may make the playoffs after all. If they do, I know I wouldn’t want to be the team that faces them even if they have failed miserably in the past during the playoffs. There is just too much talent not to succeed one time in Washington.

Andy Schmidt is a columnist/writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @ASchmidtSports, like his Facebook page or add him to your network on Google.