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PHOTOS: A look back at the Capitals’ historic season

Dan Friedell | dfriedell@wtop.com

June 13, 2018, 3:00 PM

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The crowd reacts to the appearance of star Alex Ovechkin on stage. Ovechkin was the Final MVP. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)

WASHINGTON — The Washington Capitals won the 2017-18 NHL season title, bringing the Stanley Cup to the District for the first time.

But the season was not without its injuries, difficulties and milestones. We take a look back on the season that culminated with the Capitals lifting the Cup in Las Vegas and parading it in D.C. a short time later.

The crowd reacts to the appearance of star Alex Ovechkin on stage. Ovechkin was the Final MVP. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)
Thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of Capitals fans flooded the National Mall on Tuesday, June 12, to celebrate the Capitals championship. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)
WTOP/Dave Dildine
The moment everyone was waiting for: Alex Ovechkin raises the Stanley Cup on the rally stage in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
The moment everyone was waiting for: Alex Ovechkin raises the Stanley Cup on the rally stage in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Fans cheer for the Capitals during a rally in celebration of winning the Stanley Cup, Tuesday, June 12, 2018, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
Ovechkin holds up the Stanley Cup after the Capitals defeated the Golden Knights 4-3 in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Thursday, June 7, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
AP Photo/John Locher
Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin celebrates on the ice after the Capitals defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Thursday, June 7, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin celebrates on the ice after the Capitals defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 to win the Stanley Cup on Thursday, June 7, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
Washington Capitals right wing Devante Smith-Pelly, left, celebrates his goal, in front of center Chandler Stephenson during the third period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, June 7, 2018, in Las Vegas. Smith-Pelly scored seven goals during the playoffs. (AP Photo/John Locher)
AP Photo/John Locher
Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby, right, makes a stick save on shot by Vegas Golden Knights right wing Alex Tuch during the third period in Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday, May 30, 2018, in Las Vegas. The save became known as one of the most important plays in Capitals history. (AP Photo/John Locher)
AP Photo/John Locher
Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz does not have a contract for the 2018-19 season, but led the Capitals to the NHL title. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, right, poses with members of the Washington Capitals and the Prince of Wales trophy after the Capitals defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0 during Game 7 of the NHL Eastern Conference finals hockey playoff series Wednesday, May 23, 2018, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
AP Photo/Chris O’Meara
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov skates back to his bench after the Washington Capitals scored a goal during the third period of Game 7 of the NHL Eastern Conference finals hockey playoff series Wednesday, May 23, 2018, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
AP Photo/Jason Behnken
Nicklas Backstrom missed four games with an upper-body injury during the playoffs, mostly during the conference finals against Tampa Bay, but the Capitals managed to advance.  (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin (8) shakes hands with Pittsburgh Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin (71) after the Capitals’ 2-1 overtime win in Game 6 of an NHL second-round hockey playoff series in Pittsburgh, Monday, May 7, 2018. The Capitals won the series, four games to two. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
Washington Capitals’ Evgeny Kuznetsov (92) gets the game-winning goal between the pads of Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray (30) during the overtime period in Game 6 of an NHL second-round hockey playoff series in Pittsburgh, Monday, May 7, 2018. The Capitals won 2-1 to win the series, four games to two. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Chad Ruhwedel (2) collides with Washington Capitals’ Tom Wilson (43) during the first period in Game 3 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, May 1, 2018. Wilson was suspended for three games during the series, but the Capitals still won. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
Seth Jones of Columbus reacts to losing to the Capitals in Game 6 of an NHL first-round hockey playoff series Monday, April 23, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
AP Photo/Jay LaPrete
Washington Capitals' Devante Smith-Pelly, left to right, Brett Connolly, and Lars Eller, of Denmark, celebrate their goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the third period of Game 6 of an NHL first-round hockey playoff series Monday, April 23, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. The Capitals defeated the Blue Jackets 6-3. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
The Capitals went down 2-0 to Columbus before winning the opening series of the playoffs. Here, Devante Smith-Pelly, Brett Connolly, and Lars Eller, of Denmark, celebrate their goal during the third period of Game 6 of an NHL first-round hockey playoff series Monday, April 23, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. The Capitals defeated the Blue Jackets 6-3. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
AP Photo/Jay LaPrete
Ovechkin celebrates his goal in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, Monday, March 12, 2018, in Washington. It was Ovechkin’s 600th career goal. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Washington Capitals’ Nicklas Backstrom, of Sweden, celebrates his goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. The Capitals won 3-2 and Backstrom recorded his 200th NHL goal. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
AP Photo/Jay LaPrete
Washington Capitals goalie Philipp Grubauer, front, reacts after giving up a goal to Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog, back, of Sweden, who celebrates with teammates in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The season was not all rosy, however, as the Capitals suffered a depressing 6-2 loss to Colorado on Nov. 16, 2017, in Denver. Capitals goalie Philipp Grubauer reacts after giving up a goal to Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog in the first period.  The Capitals, however, never lost more than three straight during the regular season. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), of Russia, celebrates his goal during the first period of a NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Alex Ovechkin started the season with a flurry of goals, recording a hat trick in back-to-back games against Ottawa and Montreal in early October. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
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The crowd reacts to the appearance of star Alex Ovechkin on stage. Ovechkin was the Final MVP. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)
The moment everyone was waiting for: Alex Ovechkin raises the Stanley Cup on the rally stage in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin celebrates on the ice after the Capitals defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Thursday, June 7, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Washington Capitals' Devante Smith-Pelly, left to right, Brett Connolly, and Lars Eller, of Denmark, celebrate their goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the third period of Game 6 of an NHL first-round hockey playoff series Monday, April 23, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. The Capitals defeated the Blue Jackets 6-3. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Washington Capitals goalie Philipp Grubauer, front, reacts after giving up a goal to Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog, back, of Sweden, who celebrates with teammates in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), of Russia, celebrates his goal during the first period of a NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Dan Friedell

Dan Friedell is a digital writer for WTOP. He came to the D.C. area in 2007 to work as digital editor for USATODAY.com, and since then has worked for a number of local and national news organizations.

dfriedell@wtop.com

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