Washington Capitals: Top 10 best playoff moments in team history
The Washington Capitals haven’t had the best moments when it comes to their playoff history but one year everything was different. Leading up to that year, however, there were some moments that gave the city and the fans a glimmer of hope. In this post, we’ll look at the best of the best.
We’ll not only look at the moments of that glorious Stanley Cup run of 2018 but also take a look at the moments leading up to that run. Not just from that year but in the years prior to that. Let’s hope one year from now we’ll have an updated post of this but the Caps have to stop losing in the first round.
#10 T.J. Oshie’s hat trick against Pittsburgh
In T.J. Oshie‘s first season with the Caps he gave fans a sneak preview of what they got with him as he introduced himself to this rivalry with a hat trick for the ages in a 4-3 overtime win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Oshie told the media in an article by Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post:
“That’s kind of the stuff you dream about when you’re a kid playing in the back yard by yourself, scoring the OT winner and getting the hat trick. It was awesome. Great way to win.”
#9 Alex Ovechkin’s playoff debut
On April 11, 2008 it marked the highly anticipated playoff debut of Alex Ovechkin and it didn’t disappoint. In a first round home matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers, Ovechkin would come through in the clutch.
Donald Brashear gave the Caps an early 1-0 lead before the Flyers tied it. In the second, David Steckel gave the Caps the lead before the Flyers scored three unanswered goals. The Caps would turn it on in the third period and get two goals from Mike Green to tie it before Ovechkin’s heroics with 4:32 left in the game.
Ovechkin’s goal came from a turnover, taking the puck away from Lasse Kukkonen and sliding the puck past goaltender Martin Biron.
“A pretty veteran move. It’s not easy: so much talk about everything and such a great season. Playoffs is a little different. I’m actually surprised — really amazed — that he kept himself so together, so cool in the final moments of the game.”
The Caps would go on to lose this series in seven games but this game was the culmination of a miraculous late season run to get to the playoffs and usher in a new era where fans would Rock the Red.
#8 A 3-1 series comeback over the Rangers
Alex Ovechkin was still looking for that first playoff series win in 2009 and he would get it in dramatic fashion. After the Caps had 2-0 and 3-1 series deficits the team came all the way back to force a Game 7.
The Rangers scored first but Alex Semin would tie it later in the period. In the third with 4:59 left, Sergei Fedorov raced down the ice and ripped a snapshot past Henrik Lundqvist. For Fedorov it was another goal you could add to his storied legacy.
Bruce Boudreau told the Associated Press:
“Experience sometimes pays off. He knew what he had to do, when to do it. That’s what makes him one of the greatest players ever.”
Boudreau would even add, “Let’s face it: Realistically, we should have won the first six games.”
For the Caps, it was their first playoff series win since the 1997-98 season when they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Then General Manager George McPhee told the media about the importance of taking care of home ice that night:
“They’ve really supported us and I really felt like we had to get a win for them tonight. We had to win. You can’t just have good seasons and not win in the playoffs.”
#7 Joel Ward’s Game 7 heroics
It was a thrilling seven game series between the seventh seeded Capitals and the second seeded defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins. Every game was decided by a goal and Game 7 was no different.
Matt Hendricks put the Caps up 1-0 early in the first period. The Bruins tied it up. At 2:57 into overtime, Joel Ward banged home a rebound off a shot from Mike Knuble to quiet the crowd in Boston and give the Caps the upset win. Rookie goaltender Braden Holtby stopped 31 shots.
“It’s a nice sense of accomplishment to be able to get over the hump. It’s nice to turn the page, and maybe we’re writing a new script.”
Joel Ward added, on his goal:
“When I saw the puck there, I just took a whack at it. It was a sense of relief, a great accomplishment.”
The rookie Holtby would add this:
“I’m proud of our team against the defending Stanley Cup champs. I don’t get rattled. It’s one of the things I learned: To be able to get to this level you have to be like that.”
Thanks to injuries to Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth, Holtby was given a chance to go from third stringer to starter and he did just that.
#6 Dueling hat tricks
In 2009, the rivalry between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby went to new heights when the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins renewed their playoff rivalry in the second round. In Game 2, both players rose to the occasion and each scored three goals.
After Ovechkin tied the game early in the second period, he fueled a Capitals comeback by completing his hat trick with two goals in the span of 2:29 in the third period. He scored on the power play at 12:53 to put the Caps ahead. Then he shot through a screen as the puck flew over the glove of Marc-Andre Fleury at 13:22 making it 4-2 and unleashing the hats.
Before the 18,277 could sit back down, Sidney Crosby scored late in the game with 30.4 seconds left to complete his hat trick. This after he complained to the refs when fans were throwing hats onto the ice for Ovechkin’s hat trick. Crosby had a goal in each period.
Ovechkin, reflecting back on the game, told NHL.com:
“It’s good for the fans to see great players play against each other and two great teams play against each other. It’s an interesting time and an interesting game. It’s unbelievable when you play against great players and you win a game like this.”
#5 Game 7 dominance over the Bolts
The Tampa Bay Lightning had always been one of those pesky foes the Washington Capitals had to deal with. In 2003 they lost a six game series after taking the first two games. In 2011, they got swept in the second round by the Bolts.
2018 was a revenge tour for the Capitals. First they overcame a playoff deficit some pundits didn’t think would be possible. Then they finally got past the Pittsburgh Penguins. Next in their way was the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Alex Ovechkin would rip in a slapshot from way downtown 62 seconds in to set the tone early. In the second period, Andre Burakovsky would score twice. He had just been scratched two games prior. Nicklas Backstrom put the game away in the third with an empty netter. Braden Holtby made 29 saves in the shutout.
Ovechkin told the media after the game via the AP:
“The first goal was very important. After that you could see we have all the momentum on our side. Holts was unstoppable today. He was special. Everybody was all in. Everybody was sacrificing their bodies. I think we all deserve the win.”
Barry Trotz added:
“I think Ovie has been on a mission. They wanted this game, no question.”
#4 Dale Hunter’s Game 7 heroics in 1988
The Capitals had always come up short in the playoffs but this was the first time they would actually break through in a way. In Game 7 in 1988 against the Philadelphia Flyers, it would be Dale Hunter who would deliver in overtime.
The date was April 16, 1988 and the Caps found themselves in a 3-0 deficit in the second period against the Flyers. Garry Galley put the Caps on the board. Then it was Kelly Miller that pulled the Caps to within one before Kevin Hatcher tied it.
Hunter would give the Caps the lead in the third period before the Flyers would tie it right back up. Hunter would save the night in overtime with a breakaway goal at 5:57 and it was easily the best playoff moment at the old Capital Centre.
A year earlier, the Caps had suffered a heartbreaking playoff exit at the hands of the New York Islanders. It was a Game 7 tat was dubbed the “Easter Epic” as the Caps lost in four overtimes. One year later in the same place, it was the Capitals who would prevail this time. It wouldn’t necessarily make fans forget about that but it would certainly help make it less painful.
#3 Joe Juneau’s overtime goal
The Caps finally made their first true deep postseason run in the spring of 1998. It came to an end in the Finals at the hands of a Detroit Red Wings team in the middle of a dynasty. Still, it was an unprecedented spring in D.C.
In a thrilling series win over the Buffalo Sabres on the road, the Caps came through in Game 6 in overtime thanks to Joe Juneau. The opening period was scoreless. The Sabres went up in the second period on a goal from Michael Peca before Esa Tikkanen tied it 22 seconds later. The Sabres retook the lead in the third period on a goal from Paul Kruse before Peter Bondra scored on the power play to tie it.
In overtime, Adam Oates forced a turnover. Juneau would get the puck and pass it to Brian Bellows. After Bellows missed the shot, Juneau was there to poke in the rebound. It came 6:24 into the overtime session giving the Caps a 3-2 win en route to their first ever conference title.
Goaltender Olie Kolzig told Ben Raby:
“You don’t believe it at first. You’re waiting for something to happen – maybe for the goal to be overturned – but then it hits you and you’re thinking, ‘We’re going to the Stanley Cup Final! We’re going to the Stanley Cup Final!’ That’s all I could think of. It was crazy.”
#2 Exorcising the demons in Pittsburgh
This moment ended a citywide curse. It was a curse that stretched over the course of two and a half decades, no D.C. team in the major four getting past the second round. On May 7, 2018 everything would change once and for all and the Caps would do it in overtime in enemy territory.
First the Caps got a goal in the second period from Alex Chiasson that was assisted by Nathan Walker. Walker became the first Australian born player in NHL history to record a point in a playoff game. Earlier in the season he scored in his NHL debut on a night where Alex Ovechkin had a hat trick.
Evgeni Malkin would tie it and nobody would score in the third. The game would require overtime and the Caps weren’t phased whatsoever. Crossing mid ice in the overtime, Sidney Crosby turned the puck over to Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin found a streaking Evgeny Kuznetsov and fed the puck down the ice for him to finish it off.
There were signs throughout that series that things would be different. From a clutch goal by Ovechkin in Game 3 to resiliency in Game 5 despite having Tom Wilson serving a three game suspension. It was fitting it would be this team that would be the ones to take down the Pens.
#1 Winning the Stanley Cup
On June 7, 2018, the Washington Capitals finally won the Stanley Cup. The Caps would go on to dominate in that Finals and Game 5 would result in a 4-3 win that the Caps earned with heart.
Jakub Vrana scored on a breakaway to put the Caps up early in the second period. The Vegas Golden Knights would answer with a goal from Nate Schmidt. Then Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin would connect to give the Caps the lead right back. The Golden Knights scored two straight goals to take the lead entering the third period.
The Caps got two big goals in the third period. First it was Devante Smith-Pelly to tie the game. DSP’s goal was the third straight game he scored and it was highlight reel worthy. Then it was Lars Eller for the win as he banged in a shot from Brett Connolly.
Ovechkin told Dan Rosen of NHL.com after the game:
“It’s just like a dream.”
Braden Holtby, who made a save for the ages in Game 2, added:
“Years of heartbreak, years of breaking things down and trying again, breaking things down and trying again. This group never gave up, and we finally did it.”
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Those are our top 10 playoff moments in Caps history. Which one was your favorite besides number one? Which ones did we miss?