Eh, I don't think Detroit got Washington's best effort. Their slot area coverage was very lax for much of the game. They did limit Detroit's shots and zone time but they were sloppier than usual defensively and that's typically their main calling card. Thankfully, Detroit is just not that good. They've got some IQ in their game at times but their defense and consistency are pretty bad.
Columbus is a more of an aggressive forechecking team and perhaps that's more energetic and impressive. But Washington is more systematic and those turnovers and transition plays aren't flukes...it's how they're built and they mostly execute it against everyone.