Fair or not, the Washington Capitals have developed a reputation as a team that chokes when the games matter the most.
A team that won five division titles in six seasons between 2007 and 2013 flamed out in the first round three times and never advanced past the conference semifinals. The lowlight of the era came in 2009-10, when the Capitals led the NHL in points (121) and goal differential (plus-85) but were bounced in the first round by a dogged Montreal Canadiens team and a red-hot Jaroslav Halak.
The only thing that will change the team’s reputation is winning in the postseason. There’s still a long road ahead of the Caps in that regard, but Monday’s decisive Game 7 win over the New York Islanders was a good start.
It’s not just that Washington won the game; the Capitals have won in seven before, most recently in 2012 when they knocked off the then-defending champion Boston Bruins in the first round. It’s how they won. Washington was dominant early, dominant in the middle and dominant late, and it managed something no other team playing in Game 7 ever has:
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Article written by Jonathan Willis