The Washington Capitals have reached the Eastern Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This is cause for celebration around here, the town that hasn’t seen playoff success in any major sport since the last century.

The Caps face off tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning. (Yeah, Tampa Bay, Florida, has a hockey team.) Tampa Bay won a Stanley Cup in 2004, and therefore has an infinite number more cups than do the Caps. The Lightning have been in the league since 1992. During that time there have been 100 champions crowned in the four major professional sports. Washington’s oh-for-one hundred.

At least Washington brings some hockey pedigree to the NHL’s “Final Four” this year (Frozen Four, if you will). After all, they’ve been in the league longer than the other three teams combined (though Winnipeg had its original Jets for 20 years before this new incarnation, of course). In the Western Conference, Winnipeg faces that powerhouse of hockey… Las Vegas… in what will no doubt be the greatest show ever to hit the Vegas Strip. And much as I love the Caps, seeing Tampa Bay versus Las Vegas for the hockey championship would be something to see.

That’s about as silly as hockey in June.

Which is when the champion will be crowned.