Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
#5: Druces are wild as the Capitals beat the Rangers to advance to the Conference Finals
Perhaps no playoff run by the Washington Capitals was more unexpected and fun than the one that they made in 1990. Nobody expected anything out of the Caps in the playoffs. They entered the postseason with a losing record. The Capitals played like they had nothing to lose as they quickly disposed of the New Jersey Devils. They would go on to face the New York Rangers in an epic series. On April 29th, 1990 the Caps and Rangers would play an epic game five and it ended courtesy of the stick of John Druce.
Druce scored the overtime game winning goal to put the Washington Capitals in the Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. He was nothing special, as he was mostly just a fourth line defensive specialist and penalty killer for a majority of his career. They say that everyone gets 15 minutes of fame. His fame came thanks to his overtime goal.
In 1989, the Baltimore Orioles had a similar team. Nobody expected anything out of them but they didn’t care. They went out and played their hearts out. They nearly made the playoffs. The 1990 Capitals were similar to that team and game five against the Rangers was their crowning achievement. I remember watching that game as a three year old kid. That was actually one of my first sports memories. This game will always have a very special place in my heart because of that.
Next: Number Four: What A Classic!