Washington Capitals: Top 10 best playoff moments in team history

#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.