Washington Capitals: Top 25 best moments of all-time
There's plenty of fun memories about the Capitals as we gear up for their 50th season
24 First win at MCI Center
In the 1997-98 season the Caps would really turn the tide. First though they had to say bye to Capital Centre and hello to the brand new barn in downtown DC in what was then called the MCI Center and is now known as Capital One Arena.
Sadly that Capital Centre farewell on Nov. 26 of 1997 resulted in a 6-5 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. But on Dec. 5 against the Florida Panthers to the delight of a sellout crowd in the building, the Caps would go on to defeat the Florida Panthers 3-2 in overtime.
Steve Washburn gave the Panthers the early lead in the first period before Richard Zednik tied it in the second. The Caps took the lead on the power play with a goal from Chris Simon before Robert Svehla answered with an PPG of his own to tie it. Both of those markers came in the thrid period.
In overtime it would be Jeff Toms who would win it for the Capitals at 3:32. Olaf Kolzig went 26 for 28 in net for the win which was good for a .929 save percentage.
23 Nicklas Backstrom overtime goal against Flyers
Nicklas Backstrom provided some heroics during the Presidents Trophy season. Albeit they had a three games to one lead in the best of seven and bowed out in seven games. But in Game 2, Backstrom would provide a rare win in overtime.
Bruce Boudreau told Scott Burnside of ESPN.com at the time:
By no stretch did we probably deserve to win, but we got lucky and we did. We know we're not out of the woods. There's a lot of people that are going to say that Montreal's outplayed us for two games and they were on the road. We have to play an awful lot better. We have to tighten up, obviously, if we want to succeed anywhere, whether it's this series or beyond. But right now, we're just worried about winning the next game.
We kind of got down for about five seconds and said, 'Hey, let's just see where the chips fall. We're never out of it. It doesn't matter if we're down by two goals or three goals. We've got some good firepower on this team and they kind of stepped in the third for us.
While It was an ugly win it still made the building rock.
22 Oshie hat trick on May 5, 2021
Two days after T.J. Oshie lost his father coach, Oshbabe scored a hat trick in Madison Square Garden. In a night that featured a line brawl at the start of the game, the Caps didn't waver and it ended up being the win of the year.
Recently Oshie received a special gift from the Capitals in the form of three pucks with each one representing one of his three goals from that night.
Oshie would say on his Instagram:
Some goals have more meaning than others. Scoring a Hat Trick the day after Coach Osh passed was one of those moments.
Oshie would say at the time after the game:
I like to think I had a little bit of help out there from the big man. My teammates, they were looking for me all night. I had a couple more chances than just the three. It started to get a little bit funny of on the empty netter when guys started calling my name when they got the puck on the ice. But, I don't know. It was amazing. I really can't describe it. That was the most meaningful game in my career, mostly because of what my teammates did for me.
21 Kuzy game winning goal against Islanders in Game 7
In an epic night at what was then called Verizon Center, the Caps suervived the past ghosts and Jaroslav Halak thanks to a late third period goal from Evgeny Kuznetsov. It got the stamp of approval from Alex Ovechkin himself saying to the AP, "Pretty sick."
The Caps prevailed 2-1. Joel Ward got things started in the second period. Frans Nielsen tied it early in the thrid. Kuznetsov would score at 12:42 and it was slick.
For him, it's just another day. There's no previous history for him, so he could just go into it raw and just have a good time. That's the good thing about young guys."
Ward would add in the same article, "We were hungry, we wanted to get after it, and I think people doubted us a little bit. So we wanted to prove something to ourselves and to our fans."
The Capitals got support in the house from Paul Pierce, John Wall, Marcin Gortat and Rasual Butler who had just swept the Toronto Raptors the night before in the same arena.
20 Mike Green blue line goal record
From January 27, 2009 to February 14, 1999 Mike Green scored a goal in eight consecutive games which broke the previous record of seven games that was set by Mike O' Connell in 1983-84.
Bruce Boudreau spoke to Adam Proteau of The Hockey News back in March about the play of Mike Green during that time for a 15 year anniversary feature of how Game Over Green took over the NHL world.
He used to do a lot of standing still and watching the play instead of creating the play. He's so much better this year than he was last year, and he was a lot better last year than he was the year before.
Green would go on to play in 880 regular season NHL games, and he was named to the league's first All Star Team on two separate occassions before retiring in August of 2020. Although he never won a Stanley Cup he was always active in the community.
Mike Green's father Dave Green told THN in the same story:
He got a lot of his work ethic from watching working class people. They get up in the morning, they go to work. They come home and do what they have to do at home, you take care of what needs to be done around he house. He paid attention to that."
19 Joel Ward Buzzer Beater
More Joel Ward love in this list. This moment came in Game 1 of the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. Fresh after a Game 7 win over the other New York team, the Caps would take on the New York Rangers in the second round.
For further breakdown, here's some verbiage from Ben Raby's book 100 Things Capitals Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, a book ALLCAPS fans are encouraged to check out:
Joel Ward seemingly became a star overnight in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs. A 30 year old third liner with the Nashville Predators at the time, Ward broke out with seven goals and 13 points in 12 games to lead Nashville to the second round for the first time in team history. It was the type of playoff performance that caught the eye of Capitals general manager George McPhee, who's club was coming off it's fourth consecutive Southeast Division title, but another premature postseason exit.
McPhee made a home run with this signing and in that 2015 playoffs the team nearly cashed in.
17 Snowvechkin
In 2010 there was a record snowstorm. On Super Bowl Sunday the Caps would host the Pittsburgh Penguins in another classic matchup between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. Snow, ice, nor a three goal deficit could stop Alex Ovechkin as he led the Caps to a 14th straight win.
The Caps would go on to win 5-4 when Mike Knuble poked in a rebound at 2:49 into overtime. The winning streak was tied for the third longest in NHL history.
Ovi was crazy. He was awesome. He took the team on his back and he carried us. That's what we needed, and he was wonderful.
It would set up a prelude to an epic Olympic matchup between the two greats. Crosby said to S.L. Price of SI.com:
He's got a shot that's dangerous from anywhere. He can beat you with his moves or his hands, but just being unpredicitable, that's his biggest thing. There are games we played in the playoffs (when) he scored a wrist shot from the blue line and then another where he was really wide and got a one-timer. We kept him to the outside the whole game, didn't even think he had a chance, and all of a sudden it's in the back of the net. You can feel like you're playing a perfect game and all of a sudden it's one shot and it's in. He's just dangerous.
16 Dale Hunter 1988 Game 7
One year after the Easter Epic collapse, the Caps actually came through in overtime against New York. Former general manager David Poile said to Ben Raby in 2017 for his 100 Things book:
From my perspective, we seemed to be so unlucky in the playoffs. So many things seemed to happen that didn't go our way and I think that was certainly beginning to ware on the franchise, the fans and our ownership.
Kelly Miller added in the same book, "That series was vintage Dale."
The Caps were on the verge of elimination in the Patrick Division semifinals after blowing a 4-1 lead in an eventual 5-4 win for the Flyers in Game 4 in Philly putting the Caps in a 3-1 series hole.
The Caps would rally with a 5-2 win in Game 5 at the old Capital Centre and then a 7-2 win at The Spectrum.
15 Olaf Kolzig 36 save shutout in 1998 ECF semifinal Game 4
After a 4-3 loss, Olaf Kolzig was simply lights out in the 1998 Eastern Conference Semifinal against the Ottawa Senators. He spoke after the game to the AP
For me it's the same thing night in and night out, stop the puck and give the guys a chance to win. That's the way it's been the whole playoffs. The guys realize the more shots I get, the better I play.
The victory came on the road in Buffalo and was Kolzig's second shutout of the playoffs. It se the Caps up to one away away from their first trip to the 1998 Stanley Cup Eastern Confernce Final for just the second time in what was then their 24 year history.
The Caps would win the game 2-0 behind a goal in the late first period by Sergei Gonchar to set the tone. Godzilla made 36 saves to take care of business the rest of the way.
14 Ovi playoff debut
On April 11, 2008 Alex Ovechkin made his playoff debut against the Phiadelphia Flyers where the Caps came back from a 4-2 deficit to win. While the Caps would lose the series, Ovechkin would help the Caps rally from a 3-1 deficit to force a Game 7.
Bruce Boudreau would tell Mike Vogel of WashCaps.com at the time:
They held him in check pretty good, but he's one of the guys that needs one chance.
Down 4-2 in the game the Caps rallied with two goals by Mike Green. Donald Brashear scored the game opening goal in what was a back and fourth contest.
The Caps made history that season making it to the playoffs going from 14th or 15th in the conference at midseason to a playoff berth.
13 2015 Winter Classic
In 2015 Nationals Park hosted the 2015 Winter Classic on New Years Day. The Capitals would prevail by a final of 3-2 over the Chicago Blackhawks.
It was a full house over 42,000 fans on hand and the city pulled out all the stops with a replica Capital dome and reflecting pool to introduce both teams.
Alex Ovechkin would score on the big stage and so did Eric Fehr who had a flare for the dramatic for outdoor games. Troy Brouwer would score on the power play late in the third period.
We start taking about the Winter Classic since we started the season, and this is it. I remember Brouwie said it's a good time to show up and make a show. And he did.
Brouwer's goal came against his former team who played in the outdoor game at Wrigley Field in 2009.
12 Ovi debut
On October 5, 2005 Alex Ovechkin made his NHL debut for the world to see. I'll let the great eight himself tell the story
My first game against Columbus. We won the game 3-23-2. First shift I make a big hit. The kind of make a statement right away so, I'm here and the fans and the team want me.
Ovi hit a man so hard into the boards that he would break the glass. Ovechkin talked about the hit in an interview with Roger Bennett of Men in Blazers
He didn't expect it. I was flying over there. I was young. I was crazy. When you have that strength in your body, I think you have to use it. Have to send a message
Ovechkin would score twice in the span of four minutes and 30 seconds in the second period with both assists coming from Maryland native Jeff Halpern.
Of course, it's relief. Of course, it's something that you dream especially my parents there, my brother. It was pretty special.
Ovechkin admitted it was scary adjusting to a new country and it took him time to learn English.
11 2011 Winter Classic
In the fourth version of the Winter Classic, the Capitals prevailed 3-1 in the middle of enemy lines to spoil the New Years party in Pittsburgh. What made this game unique was that they played this contest in the great outdoors under the lights, unlike the previous three spectacles.
It would be a night game due to a baseball style rain delay. The game featured Semyon Varlamov making 32 saves. Despite allowing an Evgeni Malkin goal, the Caps struck for three straight goals. First it was Mike Knuble on the power play. Then Eric Fehr struck twice. The game also featured a fight bet Michael Rupp of the Penguins and John Erskine of the Caps.
Tradition also broke in the aftermath of that game. Usually both teams shake hands but not that year. Maybe it was Alex Ovechkin in a slump and the Pens fans talking crap including their captain himself.
You knew this was going to escalate when Canada beat Russia on the international stage and Crosby simply flaunted.
10 Lars Eller Game 3 goal at Columbus
Down in a 2-0 series hole to the Columbus Blue Jackets, a resilent Capitals team fought back. Braden Holtby made 33 saves for a .943 save percentage. Tom Wilson would get the scoring started and John Carlson would add another goal.
Pierre-Luc Dubois and Artemi Panarin had the goals for the opposition. After an overtime where no one scored the game would head to a second overtime where Lars Eller tipped in a shot from Brett Connolly at the nine minute mark to completely turn the course of the series.
Eller told Mitch Stacy of the AP after the win
It means a ton, a win like this after playing for that long. I'm sure they feel a lot more tired in that room than we are feeling right now. It gives you a lot of energy. It's going to be a battle again in Game 4
Barry Trotz added in the same story, "We got some good fortune, but we also executed and we were committed today."
Brett Connolly, who provided the assist, said "We got a break, it's what we needed. You need breaks, every team is so good now, you need to keep pressing and pressing.
9 Finally beating the Penguins in the playoffs
On May 7, 2018 the Caps exorcised some demons by defeating the Penguins in the playoffs thanks to an overtime goal by Evgeny Kuznetsov. Alex Ovechkin would provide the game winning assist. Ovechkin would create the play by forcing a turnover on Sidney Crosby.
It's pretty emotional. I don't really have a word for it.
Alex Ovechkin would give more clarity, "Again, it doesn't matter what happened (before). We have to stick together. We knew it was there we just had to battle and we just had to fight through it."
Alex Chiasson scored the Caps only goal of regulation while Braden Holtby stopped 21 of the 22 shots that he faced. Kuznetsov added, "I'm not expecting myself to score the game winner in that situation."
It gave the Caps their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since 1998.
Team owner Ted Leonsis told reporters after the win, "It's almost embarassing that it's taken this long for us to get past it. But the Penguins are an unbelievable franchise. It's an unblievable team."
7 Joel Ward Game 7 in Boston
In 2012 in a Game 7 in Boston, Joel Ward silenced the crowd of Boston fans with a deflection goal to beat Tim Thomas. Mike Knuble helped create havoc in front of the net.
I'll let Ben Raby tell the story in his 100 Things book:
"For the first time in the Alex Ovechkin era, the Capitals entered the playoffs as the underdogs, seeded seventh in the Eastern Conference and facing the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins."
That's just a snippet of the book which I highly recommend. With injuries to Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth, causing the Caps to turn to their third string goaltender in rookie Braden Holtby.
When it happened, it was a freak play. We were thinking about coming off for a line change at first until he blocked that dump in and we got on our horse, knowing that he was going up the ice. I figured at that stage of the game nobody was going to try to pass it through a defenseman, so I just tried to trail behind him. I knew he was going to take it to the net.
6 Dueling Hat Tricks
In May of 2009, Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby had a game for the ages as each player notched a hat trick. Alex Ovechkin recalled the game:
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 gam. It's unbelievable when you play against great players and you win a game like this.
Ovechkin's first goal of the game came off feeds from fellow Russians Sergei Fedorov and Viktor Kozlov to beat Marc Andre-Fleury. Later in the third period Ovechkin would score twice in 2:29.
Nicklas Backstrom would win a faceoff back to Mike Green as he slide the puck over to Ovi for the one timer from the office and only two seconds esclipsed on the power play before Ovechkin scored. The hat trick would be completed with a one on one with Sergei Gorchar that the great eight would win.
5 GR802
This moment put Alex Ovechkin past Gordie Howe for second all time in the NHL's all time goals list.
This night saw Ovechkin score his 801st and 802nd career goals and he would tell Greg Whyshynski of ESPN.com:
You never thought it was going to happen when you came to the league, that you were going to beat any Gordie Howe record or Wayne Gretzky. The whole situation happening right now, it's some miracle.
Ovechkin would add in the same article, "It's nice to get it done at home in front of our house, family and friends. It's a tremendous feeling. We just have to keep going and we'll see what's going to happen."
Mark Howe, a Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman would tell ESPN, "I've seen a lot of scorers that put the puck in the net like nobody can, but after a while the puck starts hitting the crest instead of the corner of the net. I haven't seen that with Ovi yet."
This was a quote he would say earlier in the year prior to Ovechkin reaching the mark.
4 Holtby The Save
In Game 2 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals, it was a Braden Holtby save for the ages that turned the course of the whole series. Holtby would react to the save with pure instinct as he stretched back and lunged to his right with his stick thrusting the paddle into the four inch slot of air in which Alex Tuch's shot was heading for the net.
Holtby would tell Stephen Whyno of the AP, "Luckily it hit me."
While Holtby had a calm demeanor about him, his teammates and coaches on the bench weren't so calm. It gave the Caps their first ever Stanley Cup win. It would be the key of better things to come.
To me, it was the hockey gods. They evened it up from the last game. Great save. You could see the emotion on our bench. Once he made that save, I knew we were going to win the game.
Holtby would make 37 saves but he also got help from the form of an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, his fist such goal on the big stage. Brooks Orpik would end a personal 220 game goal drought with the eventual winner while Lars Eller would add a goal and two assists.
We refocus and pick each other up and that's a sign of a good team. That's one of our strengths."
3 The Goal
On January 16, 2006, Alex Ovechkin would score a goal for the ages and the goal just so happened to be scored in front of Wayne Gretzky who was coaching the Arizona Coyotes at the time.
I didn't see the puck go in because I was on my back. I had to look if I didn't hit the boards or get injured, so I look up and see (Boyd Gordon) and (Brendan Witt) came to me and start like, celebrate, so I have to go and see and look what happened, how I did it. For that moment, it was just an unbelievable time. My dream was come true. I was playing in the NHL, I did kind of a special goal, and Gretzky was there as well.
Gretzky wasn't the only memorable name in attendance as an eight year old Auston Matthews was also there. He told Sportsnet during his rookie year
I was there, yeah. It was unbelievable. That was back when I think Gretzky was coaching. He was just looking up. He couldn't believe it. I think everybody up in the stands - nobody really cheered - they really couldn't get their heads wrapped around what just happened.
2 1998 ECF clincher
In 1998 the Capitals finally made it to the Stanley Cup Final in the form of Joe Juneau scoring in overtime to beat the Buffalo Sabres.
The Caps were known as cokers in the playoffs but that spring of 1998 was different. Juneau would score at 6:24 into overtime to give the Caps their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in their 24 year history.
The puck was there. You want to go to the net and hope the puck comes out, and it finally came out.
Peter Bondra sent the game into overtime when he redirected a pass with 5:59 remaining in the third period with the Caps on the power play.
Dale Hunter would add in the same article, "It's one of those things you have to fight through (on blown leads of the past). It's been a long time coming."
1 2018 Stanley Cup clincher
On June 7, 2018 the Capitals clinched the Stanley Cup Final. It was indeed a long time coming. It was a struggle for everyone when it came to waiting. Ovechkin went through 13 of the Caps 43 seasons without hoisting a Cup.
Ovechkin would decalare to Stephen Whyno of the AP:
It doesn't matter what happened before. We just won it.
Jakub Vrana would get the scoring started at 6:24. Nate Schmidt would tie it. Ovechkin would answer with a power play strike off feeds from Nicklas Backstrom and John Carlson.
The Golden Knights would take the lead with goals from David Perron and Reilly Smith. Devante Smith-Pelly tied it in the third with the set up from Brooks Orpik. Lars Eller would win the game redirecting in a shot from behind Marc-Andre Fleury. Brett Connolly and Andre Burakovsky had the helpers there.
Ovechkin added in the same story
We did it. That's all that matters. Look at the smiles on my teammates. This is something you'll never forget. This moment, I'll remember for the rest of my life. I'm so happy. It's unbelievable.
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