In the middle of the wreckage of many a-spring on ice, the Washington Capitals have also had their moments — it's just tough to locate the highlights among the heartbreak. Take a look at top five highlights and heartbreaks of Capitals’ postseasons past.
WASHINGTON — Beauty and awe arrive in the District every spring, then disappear all of the sudden. Cherry blossom season more often than not mirrors the Caps postseason — heavy anticipation, an attention-grabbing quick bloom, and then, after one or two rains, it’s all gone.
The Capitals have enjoyed a checkered postseason in their history … unfortunately getting double-jumped by Pittsburgh, the Islanders and Rangers on multiple occasions while having to hear the refrain “King Me” a lot more than they’d prefer.
But in the middle of the wreckage of many a-spring on ice, they also have had their moments — it’s just tough to locate the highlights among the heartbreaks.
With that in mind, here are the top five highlights and heartbreaks of Capitals’ postseasons past, along with a bonus pair that provide a nice bookend to get started.’=
(Getty Images/Rob Carr)
Getty Images/Rob Carr
Highlight Honorable Mention: 1983
In Bryan Murray’s first full season as head coach, the previously hapless Caps (8-67-5 in their first year, and it took six seasons to post a winning percentage above .400) actually make the playoffs and lose to the eventual Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders. Just like being nominated for best documentary, it was simply an honor to be the first speed bump that season for Mike Bossy, Billy Smith and company.
(AP Photo/Richard Drew)
AP Photo/Richard Drew
Heartbreak Honorable Mention: 2015
Losing to the Rangers is never fun, and blowing a 3-games-to-1 series lead is even more painful. Thank you, Curtis Glencross, for your contribution to Caps Collapse History. Still, Washington bounced the Islanders (although losing Game 6 meant they couldn’t close out Nassau Coliseum). They won a game the same night the Wizards and Nats prevailed, and it was coach Barry Trotz’s first season. Of course, the key to getting over heartbreak is rationalization.
(AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)
AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File
Highlight #5: 1994
Sadly, it’s a little bit of a challenge to find roses amongst the playoff thorns for this franchise. But in 1994, they bounced recent nemesis Pittsburgh (who beat the Caps en route to Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992) in six games, outscoring the likes of Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr from the get-go. Don Beaupre stood on his head for four games, while Joe Juneau and Michal Pivonka led a balanced attack that more than took advantage of its opportunities. The Caps won the series clincher 6-3 and had other games where they lit the lamp four and five times. What happened to that NHL?
(AP Photo/Ron Frehm)
AP Photo/Ron Frehm
Heartbreak #5: 1986
The ’80s was a fantastic decade to follow the NHL. Their playoffs were front and center on ESPN and the divisional playoff format led to upset-ridden Aprils. The Patrick Division featured three teams in one metropolitan area and three more within manageable drives of one another. An 80-game marathon to determine who’s the best, followed by five- and seven-game sprints to see who survives. The Capitals finished with the third best record in the league that year (107 points), but second in their own division to Philadelphia. When the Flyers were upset in the first round by the Rangers, the path was clear to a Stanley Cup Finals clash with defending champ Edmonton. Only the Rangers — who finished with a pedestrian 78 regular season points — had more in the tank, bouncing Mike Gartner and company in six games. Small consolation: Edmonton lost in the divisional finals as well that year.
(AP Photo/Joe Giza, File)
AP Photo/Joe Giza, File
Highlight #4: 1984
You never forget your first playoff series win. Especially when it’s a sweep. Against the team less than three hours up I-95. And especially when it ends the career of Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke. Long before he was ruining the Flyers on a short-term (as general manager) and long-range (as senior vice president) basis, Clarke was one of the scrappiest (some will say dirtiest) players in the league. He was the face of the franchise in Philadelphia, and to sweep him into retirement by beating the Flyers in the Spectrum was the extra onions on the cheesesteak. Yes, the Caps lost to the Islanders in the next round. But still…
(AP Photo/Joe Giza)
AP Photo/Joe Giza
Heartbreak #4: 1989
Finally, a Patrick Division regular season championship. This would be the team that would finally emerge from the early rounds, only to learn that in the divisional playoff format turnabout isn’t just fair play, it’s often expected. The Caps got bounced by an aging Philadelphia team in six games. These weren’t the Broad Street Bullies, or even the Cup runners-up from 1987. How bad were these Flyers? Their 80 points was the team’s fewest since 1972 and they’d go on to miss the playoffs the next five seasons. Which brings to mind the question about banner protocol. Do you have to return the regular season championship banner if you lose in the first round?
(Getty Images/Ezra Shaw)
Getty Images/Ezra Shaw
Highlight #3: 2012
A team in turmoil fires its coach early in the season and brings in a legend (Dale Hunter) to put the house in order. After finishing two games over .500, the grittier version went into Boston and won a Game 7 (thank you Joel Ward!) before taking the top team in the conference to seven games in the next round. The foundation was set. And Coach Dale Hunter would be back to take this franchise to the next level. Only he didn’t, choosing to return to his role as president and owner of the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League. The team would stagger and then crumble under Adam Oates. But we’ll always have that spring.
(Getty Images/Rob Carr)
Getty Images/Rob Carr
Heartbreak #3: 2009
After winning the Southeast Division (let the record show that it was called the SouthLEAST for much of its existence), the Caps trailed the Rangers 3-games-to-1 before taking games 5, 6 and 7 (so it does happen the other way sometimes!). A thrilling conference semifinal showdown against Pittsburgh and Sidney Crosby brought three overtime affairs and a 3-3 series tie heading into a Game 7 at Verizon Center. Sadly, this finish would be more floundering than fantastic and the Penguins won a 6-2 clincher that wasn’t as close as the score looked. That Pittsburgh would go on to win the Stanley Cup would be little consolation this time.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Highlight #2: 1990
An underwhelming regular season saw the Caps finish with a losing record for the first time in eight years. Naturally, there was a midseason coaching change. Oddly enough, Coach Bryan Murray was replaced by his brother Terry. Thankfully Bryan didn’t go all Fredo (he remains smart and deserves respect). Despite an 18-14-2 finish under Murray 2.0, little was expected. And with low expectations comes a surprising first round triumph over New Jersey, followed by a shocking defeat of the first place Rangers in five games. Who are these people?
(AP Photo/Ed Bailey)
AP Photo/Ed Bailey
Heartbreak #2: 1987
Again, sometimes it’s how the movie ends that enhances everything before it. The seven-game showdown with the Islanders was one for the ages. Another 3-games-to-1 lead with a Game 5 at home. Haven’t we written this script before? Yes, but this time the Game 7 goes down to the wire and beyond. A late one-goal lead disappears with five minutes left in regulation. Four overtimes later, Pat LaFontaine ends the Capitals’ season, and a game that began at 7 p.m. concludes at 1:58 a.m. Easter morning was a groggy one for many families in the area.
(AP Photo/Ed Bailey)
Highlight #1: 1998
After finishing third in their division, the Caps rode hot goaltender Olaf Kolzig to the finals for the first time in franchise history. Never mind that they got swept by Detroit. And never mind that they took advantage of a busted bracket (upsets of Pittsburgh and New Jersey meant they would have better records than each of their playoff foes in the first three rounds). Even the teal eagle jerseys couldn’t ruin this run.
(Getty Images/Craig Melvin)
Getty Images/Craig Melvin
Heartbreak #1: 2010
After winning the President’s Trophy, the highflying offensive juggernaut looked as though it was ready to finally crown Alex Ovechkin (career-high 59 assists), Nicklas Backstrom (career highs in goals and assists) and Mike Green (before the injuries). After taking a 3-1 first round series lead over Montreal, posting 19 goals, they somehow forgot the league changed the format to best-of-seven back in the 1980s. Yes, the Canadiens’ Jaroslav Halak somehow conjured up the spirits of Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy to limit the top offense in the league to one goal in games 5, 6 and 7. But to lose in the first round after 82 games of positive reinforcement? The Bruce Boudreau regime would never be the same — with the coach making his eventual departure less than 20 months later.
(Getty Images/Bruce Bennett)
Dave has been in the D.C. area for 10 years and in addition to working at WTOP since 2002 has also been on the air at Westwood One/CBS Radio as well as Red Zebra Broadcasting (Redskins Network).
