Photo: NHL via Getty Images
With the Cup finally making its new home in the DMV, and a few days of revelry under our belts (just getting started), we began to think back about the past two months of playoff craziness, and try to pinpoint where the Capitals fortunes changed. It was easy to do.
In hindsight, it happened in perfect form. Sidney Crosby, the Captain of the 2017 Champions, turned the puck over to Alex Ovechkin, the new 2018 Cup champion. A symbolic transition. The rest is glorious history.
In hindsight, one could argue that the 2018 playoffs were following in very similar fashion compared to recent postseason runs. Falling down 0-2 in a first-round slug-fest series with the Blue Jackets, then rallying for four straight wins to advance. Eller’s overtime goal in Game 3 was big, but it was just that, a win in the first round. Nothing historically had changed at this point. Similar to Kuznetsov’s goal in Game 7 versus the Islanders in 2015. A huge win, but similar results in the end.
Round 2 and the Penguins was also following familiar suit. The Game 6 overtime nearly went to the Penguins, if not for a few stellar defensive stops. Then Kuzy changed the Capitals’ course. If the Pens slam it home, the series is tied 3-3 and going to a Game 7. Sound familiar?
Third consecutive season Stanley Cup champ was survivor of second round #CapsPens series. #ALLCAPS
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) June 8, 2018
The Capitals vanquished all historical road blocks in their 2018 postseason run (Torts, Penguins, Sidney, Lightning, Fleury, McPhee, etc.). Kuzy’s goal was the turning point. Crosby’s exchange of the puck to Ovechkin was the defining moment.
By Jon Sorensen
Bottom line? Now I can die in peace…
C
Thought it might night ever come, Cliff. I remained positive, but the thought had entered my mind.
me too
🙌
For me there seemed to be a turning point in every series. After that point it was game set match caps. Round 1 Game 3 obviously, ellers fluky ot winner. After that the caps were clearly the better team through 3 more wins. Round 2 Game 5, top line vrana. The series even, down a goal heading into the first, caps fans could see the loss coming, going down in the series and bowing out. Instead vrana springs kuzy and then scores the winner. Round 3 Game 5. The caps lose this one but trailing 3-1 late in the third thr caps create a huge push. They are calm and in control and working hard. Ovechkin buries one with the clock trailing away. The caps never lose composure, they never stop pushing either. They lose but whatever they found in those 2 minutes stuck with them through games 6 and 7. Then the finals, the turning point would be “the save”. It would prove, for me, to be the turning point in the series as the caps finally had a bounce go their way and Vegas’ luck ran out. The next two games were laughers, before game 5 where the story is the same: amazing individual efforts for the caps, horrible luck for vegas.
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