Washington Capitals: Top 10 greatest moments in franchise history
The Washington Capitals have had plenty of great moments.
We’ve already broken down the best of the best this week here at Stars and Sticks. We’ve looked at the best Washington Capitals defensemen, forwards, goalies, right wings, left wings, and centers. Now it’s time to look at the top games.
There have been many great games and great moments surrounding the Washington Capitals that we’ll highlight on here. Many have come from after the moment Alex Ovechkin was drafted to change the franchise.
That Ovechkin draft arguably should be on here so we’ll talk more about that here. Ovechkin was selected with the first pick in the 2004 NHL Draft and helped change the franchise.
Ovechkin was already hailed among critics as the next Wayne Gretzky and he’s given us moment after moment of his greatness. There were also moments from the 1980s and 90s that made it onto this list.
The fun thing about this list is that it will encourage healthy debate among Caps fans on which moments deserved to make it and which ones didn’t. That’s the fun part about these posts and the general purpose.
Without further ado let’s look at the greatest moments in Capitals history.
#10 The 2015 NHL Winter Classic
The Capitals have always shown up when it comes to outdoor games. This occasion was the first time they hosted the Winter Classic which took place at Nationals Park. The Capitals prevailed 3-2 over the Chicago Blackhawks in what was an entertaining game.
Eric Fehr, who scored two goals in Pittsburgh for the Winter Classic a few years ago, put the Caps up 1-0 with a goal at 7:01. Alex Ovechkin doubled the lead with a goal at 11:58 for his 18th goal of the season.
The Blackhawks wouldn’t quit. They got a power play goal from Patrick Sharp at 13:36 to get them on the board. 2-1 was the score after one. Brandon Saad tied it at 3:15 in the second period. 2-2 would be the score entering the final period.
In the third period at 19:47 or with 12.9 seconds to go, Troy Brouwer would win the game. Following a face-off Ovechkin let a shot go that broke his stick. Ovechkin put his arms up wondering where the call was right as Brouwer fired the puck in to send 42,832 fans home happy.
All three outdoor games were memorable in their own way but nothing was like the finish on that New Years Day at Nats Park.
#9 Alex Ovechkin’s playoff debut
Many Capitals fans waited to see what Alex Ovechkin would do in the playoffs and he didn’t disappoint in his first game. Back in 2008 the Capitals were pitted with a first round matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Donald Brashear got the Caps up 1-0 with a goal at 3:16 in the first period. Vinny Prospal tied it at 8:17 and 1-1 would be the score after the opening period.
In the second David Steckel gave the Caps the lead at 4:08 before the Flyers responded with three unanswered goals. First it was Daniel Briere then Prospeal added his second goal of the game before Briere scored once again on the power play. 4-2 would be the score entering the final period.
In the third the Caps got two goals from Mike Green with the second coming on the power play to tie the game. Those goals came at 1:50 and 6:26, respectively. Then at 15:28 Alex Ovechkin provided his heroics.
On a turnover, Alex Ovechkin pounced on the loose puck and beat Martin Biron for the go ahead and eventual game winning goal. The Flyers would go on to win the series in seven games but that moment had Caps fans excited about what the future holds.
#8 Lars Eller keeps the Stanley Cup run alive
This moment was important and made this list for one reason only, if the Caps weren’t going to win this game there wouldn’t be a Stanley Cup and there might not even be a top 10 moments list.
The Caps were down 2-0 in their first round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2018, dropping both games at home and heading into Columbus for some must win games.
Tom Wilson got the Caps on the board first in the second period with a goal at 5:52. The Blue Jackets tied it with a goal from Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Caps took the lead at 14:43 with a power play goal from John Carlson.
The Blue Jackets tied it at 4:12 in the second period with a goal from Artemi Panarin. Panarin’s goal would force overtime but little did we know it would take two stressful overtimes to finally decide the winner.
In the second overtime it was Lars Eller with the most beautiful, ugly goal you’ll ever see. On a shot from Brett Connolly, Eller was there to rebound the puck in and keep Washington’s season alive.
We all know what happened after that goal and we’ll get to that later.
#7 Peter Bondra’s five goal game
On Feb. 5, 1994 the Capitals hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning in what was a memorable game for those that attended that night at the old Capital Centre. Peter Bondra scored five goals in a 6-3 win.
The Lightning struck first on the power play with a goal from Shwn Chambers. Bondra’s first goal came 27 seconds later on a rebound in front of the net. 15 seconds later, Dmitri Khristich found Bondra for a speedy breakaway goal to give the Capitals a 2-1 lead. The Caps would later go on the power play and Bondra got a good look in front of the net for a sharp angle shot to complete the hat trick.
At 18:56, Bondra added his fourth goal flying past two defenders off a deep pass from Dale Hunter. Bondra finished the breakaway for his fourth goal of the first period to make it 4-1.
In the second the Caps added to their lead with a goal from Steve Konowalchuk. At 19:30, Bondra added his fifth goal of the game. The Lightning got two back in the third from Danton Cole and Marc Bureau but it wasn’t enough as the Capitals went on to win 6-3.
Before there was Ovechkin, there was Bondra lighting the lamp night after night.
#6 Alex Ovechkin’s NHL debut
When Alex Ovechkin was drafted in 2004, the unfortunate thing was we all had to wait a full year to see his first game thanks to the NHL lockout. When things were resolved it was well worth the wait.
The Capitals opened the 2005-06 season at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets where fans couldn’t wait to see the great eight in action. All the goals in this game came in the second period and the Caps would go on to win 3-2.
Dan Fritsche got things started with a goal at 6:53 before Ovechkin answered at 7:21 with a rocket from downtown for his first NHL goal.
“Ovechkin fires he scores! Alex Ovechkin, welcome on board!,” said play by play broadcaster Joe Beninati.
Fritsche added his second of the game at 10:22 before Ovechkin matched him at 11:51 with a goal on the power play to tie the game. The Caps took the lead at 16:51 with a power play strike from Dainius Zubrus.
Ovechkin scored 52 goals in his rookie season to go along with 54 assists for 106 points. Ovechkin went on to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year and it was just the beginning of what would be a legendary career.
#5 Dueling hat tricks
In the spring of 2009 hockey fans everywhere were treated to the first playoff series between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. The series went seven games and didn’t disappoint until the end. The second game would live up to the hype and be talked about for generations to come as both players got hat tricks in the same game.
Sidney Crosby gave the Penguins the lead with a goal in the first period on the power play. Ovechkin would join the party at 2:18 in the second period to tie the game. Crosby gave the Penguins the lead right back with a goal at 10:57. David Steckel tied it at two with a goal at 15:49 and 2-2 was the score heading into the final period.
In the third Ovechkin scored on the power play at 12:53 to give them the lead. At 15:22 Ovechkin scored his third of the game to unleash the hats onto the ice. There were thousands and thousands that poured onto the ice and Crosby tried to talk to officials about trying to get fans to stop throwing hats.
Don’t worry though Crosby, you got your hat trick too. He scored at 19:29 but it wasn’t enough as the Caps hung on to win 4-3.
#4 Dale Hunter’s heroics
Back in 1988 the Capitals were against the Flyers in the Patrick Division semifinals. It was a historic night at the Capital Centre as Dale Hunter delivered in overtime.
Tim Kerr put the Flyers up 1-0 in the first period and the Capitals would have to overcome a 3-0 deficit after the Flyers added second period goals from Brian Propp and Mark Howe. The Caps got on the board at 6:42 with a goal from Garry Galley. At 8:02 they closed the gap to one with a goal from Kelly Miller. Then at 17:54, Kevin Hatcher tied the game.
The Caps took the lead at 5:19 in the third period with a power play goal from Hunter before Brad Marsh answered at 6:21. The game would require overtime.
In the overtime period, Larry Murphy found Hunter all alone. Hunter finished the breakaway with a goal to give the Caps the series win. It was one of the best Game 7s in franchise history.
For a team that has experienced playoff heartbreak in years past, this Game 7 win was huge for the franchise as they looked for more playoff success in the 90s and 2000s. This was easily the top moment of the 1980s.
#3 Caps advance to the Finals for the first time
The Washington Capitals were in the Eastern Conference Final in 1998 and entered Game 6 against the Buffalo Sabres with a chance to make the finals for the first time in franchise history. It wasn’t easy.
There were no goals scored in the first period. In the second, Michael Peca put the Sabres up 1-0 with a goal at 13:04. 22 seconds later the Caps responded with a goal from Esa Tikkanen to tie the game.
In the third the Sabres took the lead with a goal from Paul Kruse. At 14:01 on the power play the Caps tied it with a goal from Peter Bondra. The game would require overtime.
In overtime, Adam Oates picked the pockets of Michal Grosek. Oates forced a turnover and it was picked up by Joe Juneau, who darted toward the other side before firing the puck across to Brian Bellows entering the zone.
Bellows tried to beat Dominik “The Dominator” Hasek but couldn’t. Hasek had trouble keeping track of the puck himself and couldn’t stop it stretching out his glove. Juneau was right there to pounce on the loose puck.
The Caps would go on to get swept by a dominant Detroit Red Wings team but they would get another chance at the Finals thanks to these next two moments.
#2 Finally beating the Penguins
The Caps always had trouble getting past the second round and getting past the Pittsburgh Penguins but 2018 was a different year. After winning a thrilling Game 5 thanks to Jakub Vrana’s game winning goal in the third period, the Caps put the Pens on the brink heading back to Pittsburgh for Game 6.
There was no score in the first period as the Caps played a chess match with the Penguins. At 2:13 in the second period, Alex Chiasson got a pass from Nathan Walker and buried it to give the Caps an early 1-0 lead. At 11:52 the Penguins tied it with a goal from Kris Letang.
There was no score in the third period and the game would require overtime. Unlike previous playoff overtimes, Caps fans weren’t nervous but rather excited about the chance they have at hand.
In overtime, Sidney Crosby turned the puck over to Alex Ovechkin who found a streaking Evgeny Kuznetsov going down the ice. Kuznetsov beat Matt Murray with the breakaway goal and the rest is history.
There have been many great moments against the Penguins but this one was easily the top moment for the franchise as they finally exorcised their playoff demons.
#1 Winning the Stanley Cup
The Washington Capitals finally won the Stanley Cup on June 7, 2018 easily the best day of our lives. They went up against the Vegas Golden Knights and after dropping Game 1 went on to win the next four games. Game 5 against Vegas would be a back and fourth affair with a dominant third period to seal the win.
There was no score in the first period. In the second, Jakub Vrana scored on a breakaway goal at 6:24. The Golden Knights tied it on a goal from Nate Schmidt. The Caps answered at 10:14 with a power play goal from Alex Ovechkin to go back up 2-1.
The Golden Knights responded with two goals to go back up 3-2. They got goals by David Perron at 12:56 and Riley Smith at 19:31. 3-2 would be the score entering the final period.
In the third the Caps tied it with a goal from Devante Smith-Pelly. Brooks Orpik played the puck in the zone and found Smith-Pelly in front of the net. DSP dove to his right and scored to tie the game. At 12:23, off a shot from Brett Connolly, the puck sat behind Marc-Andre Fleury and Lars Eller was there to put it in and give the Caps the win.
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Those are our top 10 moments in franchise history. What are your top 10 moments? Let us know in the comments!