Posted on 05/07/2018 7:10:43 PM PDT by EdnaMode
At last: Game over. Series over. For the first time in 20 years, a D.C. team in one of the four major pro sports is moving on to the conference finals. Let that sink in. The Capitals were the last to do it, in 1998, when they eliminated the Senators in five games in the second round and then ousted the Sabres in six games to clinch their only Eastern Conference title in franchise history. With Evgeny Kuznetsov’s breakaway goal less than six minutes into overtime, Washington improved to 2-9 all-time in postseason series against the Penguins; the Capitals’ only other triumph against the Black and Gold came in 1994. Sidney Crosby’s perfect playoff record against Alex Ovechkin, who assisted on the game-winning goal? Over. The Penguins’ nine-series playoff win streak? Finito.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
DC celebrates? Must have been the 21 thug salute.
I despise the Beltway and Deep State as much as the next patriot but I love the Caps and our great Russian players Ovi, Kuznetsnov and Orlov. KMA Mueller. (Remember, even Dick Nixon loved the Redskins.)
Bruins were eliminated by Tampa Bay.It sounded like a song by Pittsburgh’s Lou Christie: the Lightning’s striking again and again and again and again...
Caps will have their hands full with Tampa Bay, they’re looking really good right now.
As usual with playoff hockey, it will all come down to the goaltending ... is Holtby in his groove?
Go Bolts!
I’ve never seen the Pens play so poorly in my lifetime. The Caps weren’t better, the Pens were worse. They had nothing.
I’m pissed, I’m bitter, and I hope the Caps burn in hell.
The fact that they did it without Backstrom and Wilson is really, really impressive. Ovi showed he’s one hell of a playmaker with that breakaway assist, too. I’m sure Pens fans and Russian haters will still say he’s one-dimensional, of course.
And if I was putting together an NHL team, there's a good chance Nicklas Backstrom would be my #1 center. Best playmaker I've seen in a long time.
The Caps were just the better team. You’ve known Letang plays way out of position for years and Ovi saw it and took advantage of him. How was that surprising to anybody?
Playoff hockey is all about roster depth, chemistry, and big-game players now.
Don’t take it so hard. This was not a great Pittsburgh team, and they did very well to keep themselves intact as a contender despite a lot of challenges with the salary cap.
With a good coaching staff and the right team around him he became a much more complete player. He even killed penalties on the team's top PK unit and led the league in short handed goals in his best season.
Go Caps!
I’m thinking Kopitar for Hart this year. No way they can deny the NHL’s clearly best, most-responsible centerman who also scored 93 points. He had 70 more PK minutes than the next-best guy in the top ten in scoring!
As a New Jersey fan I'm biased towards Taylor Hall for the Hart. They would have been in the basement without him, and for the first time in his career he really became a key player in big spots.
That's why you don't see too many teams giving huge contracts to goalies anymore, either. Why spend $8.5 million on a guy like Henrik Lundqvist when Matt Murray can win you a Stanley Cup for $3.5 million?
Thank you, I’m over it already. But I still want the Caps to burn in hell. Just like the fucking Patriots. No mercy.
I think the idea of the big money goaltender took a real hit the day that Antti Niemi won a Stanley Cup. The Blackhawks didn’t even try to keep him and let somebody else overpay. Sure, they’ve paid Crow over the years but nowhere near guys like Lundqvist or Quick. I still think Quickie earns his paycheck but, sure, you wonder what would have happened had they moved that salary and went with a guy like Martin Jones who still hasn’t been able to get it done in San Jose but would have had a better defense in front of him in LA.
If I were the pens coach I woulda started goalie DeSmith two games ago. Murray has several bad games and coach keeps him in. Last year in playoffs Fleury goalies great for the pens and has one not so great game and coach switches Murray in. I guess Murray is allowed to have bad he’s thought. In any case it’s too bad the better pens goalie just dished a shutout in Vegas against San Joae.
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