Last night’s 5-1 defeat to Atlanta was the Washington Capitals’ 13th loss in 20 contests, and apparently, the last straw for head coach Glen Hanlon, whose Thanksgiving firing was timed just well enough to avoid the morning edition of the Washington Post, the presumably on-holiday Off Wing Opinion, Mr. Irrelevant or Fanhouse. Once again, Caps ownership flexes their public relations muscles! From TSN :

The Washington Capitals have fired head coach Glen Hanlon

Bruce Boudreau has been named the team’s interim head coach, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

“I can’t sleep. I was up at 4:30 am this morning. I am in pain. I am angry. I want desperately for us to turn it around and win some games as does everyone in our organization.” Leonsis wrote. “I am not oblivious to what is happening.”

The Capitals noted in a press release that no timetable has been set for naming a head coach beyond Boudreau’s interim status. The rest of the Capitals coaching staff will, however, remain in place.

Boudreau, 52, has coached championship teams in the American Hockey League (AHL) and the ECHL and is in his third year as the head coach of the Hershey Bears, Washington’s AHL affiliate.

Boudreau has compiled a 103-45-11-16 record with the Bears. He led the team to the Eastern Conference championship and the Calder Cup finals in each of his first two years in Hershey, winning the Calder Cup in 2006.