This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. Colorado Avalanche Shirts . 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Washington CapitalsOverall: 47 Title track: 96 Ownership: 19 Coaching: 21 Players: 43 Fan relations: 19 Affordability: 89 Stadium experience: 54 Bang for the buck: 50 Change from last year: +8Despite another spirit-crushing playoff defeat by the rival Penguins, Year 2 of the Barry Trotz era went even better than the first. The Capitals 120 points landed them the Presidents Trophy as the NHLs regular-season champion, and they might have made a real run at the Stanley Cup had they not been drawn, because of the leagues convoluted playoff format, against red-hot Pittsburgh in the second round. Still, Washingtons continued improvement didnt go unnoticed in our standings.Whats goodTheir team lost to the Pens for the eighth time in nine postseason tries, but long-suffering Caps fans remain fully behind Trotz, whose coaching rank remains near the top 20 in sports. Ownership continues to climb (now at 19th, seven places over 2015) thanks to the shrewd stewardship of Ted Leonsis, whos as engaged and approachable as any check-signer in hockey. Combined with the thrilling on-ice product -- captain Alex Ovechkin led the league in goals for the fourth straight year, while Braden Holtby won the Vezina Trophy as the NHLs top goalie -- Leonsis attention to detail helped fan relations (No. 19) enjoy a two-spot bump.Whats badThe closest the Caps got to a Cup in their 40 seasons was a runner-up finish in 1998, when they got swept by the Red Wings in the finals. Perhaps the decades of postseason disappointments have taken a toll. Whatever the reason, fans in the District are surprisingly fatalistic about their future, with a title track that seems absurdly low (96th!) for a team that finally looked like a legitimate contender last year. Meantime, it still isnt cheap to attend games at the Verizon Center -- the Caps rank just 89th in affordability. Among the 23 U.S.-based NHL teams, only five teams have a higher average ticket price ($71).Whats newAt least Caps fans get value for their money. Ovechkin is the most exciting player in the game. Trotzs up-tempo ethos creates offense. (Washington had a plus-59 goal differential last season, 17 more than the next highest-scoring team.) They lost a league-low eight games last season. And Holtbys otherworldly shot-stopping helped Ovi and Co. allow fewer than 200 goals against, one of three NHL teams to accomplish the feat. Its little surprise, then, that bang for the buck shot up 34 spots from a year ago.Next: New Jersey Devils?| Full rankings Colorado Avalanche Gear . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. Colorado Avalanche Pro Shop . 10 Texas Rangers jersey for one last time. Young formally announced his retirement Friday after returning to Rangers Ballpark, his baseball home for all but the last of his 13 major league seasons. https://www.cheapavalanche.com/ . Vokoun departed practice on Saturday morning after discovering swelling in his thigh. He was taken to a local hospital where the clot was revealed. The club announced the surgery following a 5-3 exhibition loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. AKRON, Ohio -- Javarion Franklin and Zach Terrell made sure one of the biggest weeks in the 100-year history of the Western Michigan football ended on a high note.Franklin, a junior running back, rushed for a school-record 281 yards and quarterback Terrell threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more as No. 24 Western Michigan -- ranked in the Top 25 this week for the first time in school history -- shut out Akron 41-0 on Saturday.Corey Davis caught two touchdown passes to add to his career school record, finishing with eight catches for 63 yards. The Broncos (7-0, 2-0 Mid-American Conference) had 585 yards of offense.It was an incredible credit to our players, Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck said. They played possessed. They executed the game plan perfectly.Franklin, whose previous career-high rushing game was 211 yards against Idaho two seasons ago, ran for a 2-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Terrell was 21 for 31 for 207 yards.By the time the fourth quarter started, I really had no idea I had a lot of yards, Franklin said. Jamauri (Bogan) kept saying something about 200 but I thought he was lying, so Im like, `hey, whatever. I just go out there and move the chains.Western Michigan held Akron (4-3, 2-1) to 283 yards of offense and snuffed out their biggest threat in the second quarter when quarterback TraVon Chapman was intercepted by Broncos linebacker Casey Carson at the WMU 3-yard line.Chapman, subbing for injured starter Thomas Woodson for the third straight game, was 13 for 31 for 153 yards and was intercepted twice.THE TAKEAWAYWestern Michigan: The strong season continues for the Broncos. They looked efficient on most of their offensive drives and shut down the Zips. Every win makes coach P.J. Fleck more attractive to the Power Five teams expected to have coaching vacancies after the season.Akron: The Zips suffered their first MAC loss, but theyre still likely to compete for the East Division crown. That means they could see WMU again in the conference championship game.Every now and then, you just get beat, Akron coach Terry Bowden said. Tonight, we just got beat on offense and on defense. Western Michigan justt took it to us, and we didnt have any answers. Avalanche Jerseys China. OLL IMPLICATIONSNot many people saw Western Michigan roll over the Zips. But the score was decisive enough for the Broncos to hold their No. 24 spot or even move up.GIVING IT UPWestern Michigan became the last FBS team in the nation to commit a turnover when Akron defensive end Daumantas Venckus recovered a Davon Tucker fumble at the Akron 14 in the second quarter. WMUs Terrell had thrown an interception deep in Akron territory in the first quarter, but a defensive holding call nullified the play. Akron intercepted Terrell for real in the fourth quarter.WORKING ON A DREAMWestern Michigan is 7-0 for the first time since 1941, when it finished the season 8-0. The Broncos havent won the conference since 1988, when they went 7-1 in the MAC and 9-3 overall. They were 1-13 in 2013 -- Flecks first season -- before going 8-5 the past two years.THATS NOT VERY NICEA motivating technique for the Akron players Saturday was a pregame burning of an oar -- designed to make light of Flecks Row the Boat mantra, which is supposed to symbolize a group of people working in unison for a common goal. Fleck, who came up with the mantra after losing an infant son shortly after birth a few years ago, didnt like it.Its not very classy, in my opinion, Fleck said after the game. Were not into revenge. I do believe in righteousness....Very simple, I think its just two different cultures.ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAMOne of the biggest cheers from the sparse crowd at InfoCision Stadium came in the second quarter when the PA announcer informed the crowd that the Cleveland Indians had taken the lead in the American League Championship Series being played about 40 miles away at Progressive Field. The Indians took a 2-0 lead over Toronto.UP NEXTWestern Michigan: The Broncos return home to play Eastern Michigan.Akron: The Zips travel to face Ball State.---Follow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacyFor some of his other recent stories: http://bigstory.ap.org/content/mitch-stacy ' ' '