Well Rich, you sure called this one in the Boredom thread.
This just feels like the kind of game where the Caps really missed Protas' defensive discipline. Then of course, once they got behind they had to start taking chances, and they just aren't equipped for doing that against a faster team.
Notice that, with the team needing offense, Hutson's shifts and TOI have gone up. We're probably going to see that for awhile -- when the Caps need offense, his minutes go up. When they are trying to lock down a lead, his minutes will go down.