10 Best Games in Washington Capitals History

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Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Counting down the ten best games in Washington Capitals history

The Washington Capitals have been around since the 1974-1975 season. They have played in over 3,000 games and won over 1,400 during that time. Some games are more meaningful than others. Some wins mean more than just extra points in the standings. Ten games stand out when you look at the history of the Capitals.

Whether it was because they were extremely exciting or because Caps fans look back at them today as turning points in franchise history, these ten games have helped shape the legacy of the Washington Capitals. This list will feature both regular season games and post-season games. Several factors were looked at when determining this list.

#10: Washington Capitals Beat Chicago 4-3 For First Franchise Victory

They say that you always remember your first love. In this case, the Capitals will always remember their first win in franchise history. It occurred on October 17th, 1974 at home. It was also their first home win. With a 4-3 win over the Blackhawks, the Capitals announced their arrival to the NHL.

The Capitals were coming off a 1-1 tie to the Los Angeles Kings in their first ever home game. The Blackhawks came into town cocky and thought that they could handle the expansion Caps. Chicago’s head coach didn’t even bother to let future Hall of Famer Tony Esposito start in goal against the Washington Capitals. The Capitals took offense to that and came out with a win.

Denis Dupere got the game started with an early goal to give the Caps a 1-0 lead and tied the game at two for his first two goals of the season. Ron Anderson and Jack Egers also scored for the Capitals with Egers getting the first official game winning goal in Caps history.

This game meant far more to the Washington Capitals than just points in the standing. It set the tone for all Caps teams that followed. The Caps would win just eight games in 1974-1975. None of them were as big as this one.

Next: Number Nine: Caps Get Revenge Against Islanders

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

#9: Capitals Finally Get Past Islanders In The Playoffs

On April 12th, 1986, the Capitals got a huge gorilla of their back by beating the New York Islanders 3-1 to advance in the playoffs. The Capitals had lost to the Islanders in 1983, 1984, and 1985. The Capitals refused to lose against the Islanders in 1986 and advanced past the Islanders for the first time in franchise history.

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The victory meant a lot to the team back then because they did it without forward Bengt-Ake Gustafsson. Gustafsson was injured thanks to a dirty cheap shot by Islanders defenseman Denis Potvin earlier in the season. The Capitals got revenge in the sweetest way possible by knocking them out of the playoffs.

It was also sweet to beat the Islanders after they eliminated the Caps the first three seasons that they made the playoffs. The Caps swept the Islanders to get revenge for a different kind of sweep in 1985. The Caps led 2-0 in that series before the Islanders won three straight.

This was an extremely important victory for the Washington Capitals because the Islanders had been a huge gorilla on the Capitals back for their first 12 seasons of existence and especially for the previous three seasons. The Caps threw that huge gorilla off their back and made a statement with the 3-1 win.

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

#8: Kuznetsov Triumphantly Announces His Arrival Into Stardom

Evgeny Kuznetsov has been outstanding for the Capitals during the 2015 regular season. To trace back his stardom, his dominance began on April 27th, 2015 when he notched an incredible game winning and series winning goal against the New York Islanders to give the Caps a 2-1 lead in game seven of the 2014 NHL playoffs that they wouldn’t relinquish.

This game was more than just about Kuznetsov’s arrival into NHL stardom. It was about the Washington Capitals putting their choking history in games seven and putting together a dominant performance. They out-shot the Islanders 26-11 and dominated the game from the opening face-off.

Joel Ward would get the scoring started towards the end of the second period off a beautiful feed from Alex Ovechkin. Brooks Orpik would get the secondary assist while wiping out. Islanders forward Frans Nielsen tied the game at one off a rare mistake by Braden Holtby. The Capitals refused to be rattled. They continued to dominate play as if they were telling Holtby, “You’ve bailed us out enough times this season buddy, we’ll bail you out this time”.

Kuznetsov would score his famous goal with just over seven minutes left in the game as he took the puck and flew through the middle of the ice to the slot and lifted the puck over and past Jarsolav Halak.

Next: The Great Eight's Greatest Performance

Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

#7: Ovechkin Leads Caps To 5-4 Win Over Canadiens

Before January 31st, 2008, Alex Ovechkin was just Alex Ovechkin. On that date he officially became known as “The Great Eight”. Ovechkin took it upon himself to lead the Washington Capitals to a dramatic 5-4 win as he had four goals and one assist.

Ovechkin played like he had a fire lit under his posterior. That was because he got fired up after taking a hard hit from Francois Bouillon that broke his nose. Nobody makes Ovechkin bleed his own blood and gets away with it. He scored four goals after that. His first game in the first period off a rocket one-timer. He assisted on fellow Russian Viktor Kozlov‘s second period goal and added one himself to give the Caps a 3-0 lead. The Canadiens would storm back with two unanswered second period goals.

Ovechkin gave the Washington Capitals another two goal lead with a third period goal. Montreal would wind up sending the game to overtime with two unanswered third period goals. Ovechkin capped off his evening with one of the finest goals he has ever scored in overtime.

This game is important to the Washington Capitals because it started the “Rock The Red” era. Ovechkin has done so many impressive things since that day, but Caps fans might never see a more dominant performance than the one Ovi put on against Montreal.

Next: #Number Six: First Playoff Series Victory

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

#6: Capitals beat up Flyers on scoreboard and on ice in 5-1 win

The Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers have had an impressive rivalry for many years. The rivalry reached one of its boiling points on April 7th, 1984 when the Capitals and Flyers faced each other in the first round of the 1984 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Caps and Flyers had a penalty filled series and it was capped off by a game three performance that saw the Caps bully the Flyers both on the scoreboard and on the ice.

The young skilled Caps with a bit of edge to their game were too hot for the Flyers to handle. 24 year old forward Mike Gartner was a monster against the Flyers. He scored a goal in the deciding game three and for good measure, beat the snot out of one of the hated Suter brothers. Rod Langway and Scott Stevens were a real life version of the Bash Brothers, hitting and dominating every orange jersey in their way.

This was one of the hugest victories in Washington Capitals history because this was their first ever series win. It also paved the way for countless blood-filled battles between the Flyers and Washington Capitals. There have been countless memories in Capitals vs. Flyers games, but none of them top what transpired on April 7th, 1984.

Next: Number Five: Druce puts the Caps in the Eastern Conference Finals

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!

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

#4: Capitals beat Blackhawks in 2015 Winter Classic

Washington Capitals fans proved to the entire world that DC is a fantastic hockey city on January 1st, 2015. That’s when the Capitals got their long overdue home Winter Classic. There were so many memorable moments in that game.

Eric Fehr got the scoring started by getting on a breakaway and cunningly swerving to the right side of the ice (which was being drowned in sunlight) to put one past Corey Crawford. Alex Ovechkin would rise to the occasion as so many expected he would with a goal of his own to put the Caps up 2-0. Chicago, being the eternally worthy adversary that they are, scored the next two goals to tie the game at two.

The Washington Capitals refused to lose in arguably the biggest game of their respective lives. The Capitals fought through the third period and got a late power play opportunity. With just under 20 seconds left, the Washington Capitals carried the puck into the offensive zone. Ovechkin got the puck but had his stick slashed and broken by Brandon Saad. The puck came straight to forward Troy Brouwer. Brouwer missed quite a few shots for the Caps, but he sure didn’t miss in that game.

Brouwer’s goal with just 13 seconds left in the game caused complete pandemonium across Nationals Park and across the Washington Capitals fan base. It means a lot to the Capitals even now. That day, the Capitals proved to themselves and to their fans that they aren’t the “same old Caps”.

Next: #3: Snowvechkin

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

#3: Caps beat Penguins after historic snowstorm

On February 8th, 2010, the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins faced each other in a game that will never be forgotten by anyone who witnessed it. It happened immediately after a snow storm that saw a record amount of snow fall on the Delmarva and DC regions. It came a day after one of the most epic snowball fights in the history of DC (this writer proudly participated in it). I remember going to the game with my college roommate because we knew we could get cheap tickets (who wants to go out in a snow storm?) and we stayed at my friend’s house. It was a game that I’ll never forget.

The Verizon Center crowd quickly got quiet after two early first period goals by Sidney Crosby. His second goal of the evening tied him with Ovechkin temporarily with 39 goals. Ovechkin ensured that didn’t last long. His 40th goal of the season cut the Penguins deficit in half.

The Penguins answered with two unanswered goals by Jordan Staal to get a 4-1 lead. That’s when the magic started. The Washington Capitals cut their deficit in half with a second period goal by Eric Fehr. After that, Ovechkin took over with two goals to tie the game at four to send the game to overtime.

In overtime, the Washington Capitals would win it after a beautiful goal from Mike Knuble. The Penguins and Capitals rivalry was renewed and fans witnessed a truly unforgettable game. It might not be as “meaningful” as the other wins, but I’ve never witnessed a more exciting hockey game. I likely never will.

Next: #2: Hunter Puts One Past Hextall

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

#2: Hunter’s breakaway game seven goal puts Caps over Flyers

The most iconic moment in Washington Capitals history happened on April 16th, 1988 when Capitals center Dale Hunter scored on Ron Hextall in game seven to help the Capitals advance past the Flyers in the playoffs. This was a huge win for the Capitals because it re-energized a team that had begun to start slipping. One could say this game helped keep the Caps in the nation’s capital.

The Caps had a sub-par regular season. They finished with a below .500 point percentage and barely managed to get into the playoffs. Capitals fans were starting to get concerned as the team started to look like they have run out of gas after an impressive run in the early to mid 80’s. To make matters worse, the Caps had to face the heavily favored Flyers in the first round.

The Flyers quickly jumped out to a 3-1 series lead, but the Washington Capitals would not give up. They stormed through the Flyers in games five and six to force a winner takes all game seven. The Flyers stormed out of the gate, quieting the home Capitals Center crowd with an early 3-0 lead. The Caps showed their resiliency by fighting back to tie the game at four and force overtime.

Dale Hunter ended it for the Caps in overtime with a breakaway goal. He fired the puck five-hole past future Hall of Fame goaltender Ron Hextall to perhaps save the Capitals and re-energize a hungry fan base.

Next: Number One: Caps Go To The Stanley Cup Finals

Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

#1: Washington Capitals Advance To Their First Stanley Cup Final

1998 was an extremely special season for the Capitals. It saw them reach the Stanley Cup for the first time and only time in franchise history. It’s only appropriate that the Capitals’ best game in franchise history is the game that sent them there. On June 4th, 1998, the Capitals beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in overtime in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. They would eventually get swept by the Detroit Red Wings, but it is without a doubt the highest point in Washington Capitals history.

Esa Tikkanen and Peter Bondra scored in regulation for the Caps while Paul Kruse and Michael Peca scored for the Buffalo Sabres. The game went to overtime. Joe Juneau would insert his name into Capitals history by scoring the game winner in overtime.

It was an incredible goalie battle between Dominik Hasek and Olaf Kolzig. Kolzig stopped 39 of 41 shots while Hasek stopped 35 of 38. The whole series was a war between the two goaltenders and the South African Kolzig won it with the help of his teammates.

Next: 30 Greatest Players In Capitals History

June 4th, 1998 was a magical game and an unforgettable one for everyone involved in it, whether they were players, fans, or coaches.

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