Photo: NHL via Getty Images

The Washington Capitals got their name engraved on the Prince of Wales Trophy at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto for the second time in franchise history on Monday and for the first time since 1998. The Prince of Wales Trophy is awarded to the Eastern Conference Champion each season. 

The #stanleycup champion @Capitals get their name engraved on the Prince of Wales Trophy for the 2nd time in the teams history. @NHL @HockeyHallFame pic.twitter.com/oQL5VgxWGa

— Philip Pritchard (@keeperofthecup) July 16, 2018

The Capitals won their first Prince of Wales Trophy two decades ago after they defeated the Boston Bruins in six games in the Eastern Conference First Round series, the Ottawa Senators in five in the Second Round, and the Buffalo Sabres in six en route to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in franchise history, when they got swept by the Detroit Red Wings, who won their second consecutive Cup that season.

The Capitals beat the Columbus Blue Jackets in six games in the first round, the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games in the second round, and the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games in the third round before winning the Stanley Cup in five games against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Capitals won the Prince of Wales Trophy after back-to-back shutouts in Games 6 and 7 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Lightning. Before shutting them out for the last two games of the series, the Capitals dropped three straight contests. The Caps outscored the Bolts 7-0 in the final two games of the series and did not allow a goal for the last 139:27 of the series to clinch the Prince of Wales Trophy.

The Capitals will likely get their name engraved on the Stanley Cup as soon as the players’ days with the Stanley Cup are done. Chandler Stephenson will be the last Capital to spend his day with the Cup on August 24 in Humbolt, Saskatchewan.

The names will likely be engraved on the Stanley Cup before the Capitals’ home opener against the Bruins on October 3, when they will raise their first Stanley Cup Championship banner in franchise history at Capital One Arena.

By Harrison Brown