Capitals try to win the playoff series since the 2018 Stanley Cup final – Hockey Writer – Washington Capitals

The capital has been on the failed end of the handshake since lifting the 34.5-pound Stanley Cup in 2018, with the capital on the failed end of the handshake. As the Capital and Montreal Canadiens prepare for Game 5 at Capital One Arena Wednesday night, it was the capital’s most recent playoff loss and what could be a different situation this time.

Last season, the capital swept the New York Rangers’ playoffs

After missing the playoffs in 2022-23, the Capital returned to the playoffs by earning the last universal card position of the Eastern Conference on the last day of the 2023-24 season. The reward is a date with the top New York Rangers. It was an ugly series for head coach Spencer Carbery’s roster as the Rangers built a multi-target lead multiple times in four games in the Capitals.

The first match at Madison Square Garden began in the first phase of the first without any score. The Rangers then scored three times on the way to the 4-1 victory. In Game 2, the Rangers established a 2-1 lead, a common theme for the remaining three games of the series. Dylan Strome’s powerful goal listed the game as a match early in the second phase, but New York scored the following two goals and skated with a 4-3 victory.

When the series shifted to Washington, the Rangers opened up a 2-1 lead and celebrated a 3-1 road victory in Game 3. There was a glimmer of hope in Game 4, following Hendrix Lapierre’s second-period goal, before Artemi Panarin’s power-play goal at 3:21 of the third period sealed Washington’s fate in a 4-2 loss as the Rangers claimed the Round 1 series.

Related: 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round Hub

Washington captain Alex Ovechkin didn’t record a point in the series and took a lot of responsibility for a quick exit. “It’s always hard to lose the series. We have a big chance. We don’t score. Our line doesn’t score a lot. I’m blaming me. I’m not doing well.”

Verhaeghe’s overtime goal is silent in 2022 Washington

In 2021-22, the Capitals gained a slim 2-1 lead with a 2-1 lead before throwing three straight games to the Florida Panthers in the 1st round. Washington stole the first game on the road with three unresolved goals in the third stage. The Panthers won the championship with a 5-1 victory and Washington won the game 6-1 in Game 3.

It was a cruel exit to the capital, with two overtime losses at Capital One Arena. Florida listed the series as Carter Verhaeghe’s overtime win goal in Game 4. Five nights later, Verhaeghe scored a racing OT goal in Game 6, which broke the hearts of Capitals fans and brought the Panthers into round 2.

Bruins demand a series closure in 2021 playoffs

Nic Dowd’s overtime goal won the Capital 3-2 in the first game of Capital One Arena to kick off the playoffs. Unfortunately, this is Washington’s only series in the 2021 playoffs. Taylor Hall scored a third stage goal, forcing past game 2. The Boston Bruins won Brad Marchand’s goal match with a 4-3 victory and even a 1-1 series.

After two opening games of the series played in Washington’s OT, a third game in overtime at TD Garden was not enough. The Bruins delighted the Boston Crowd House in overtime with 5:48 in Craig Smith’s game title.

Craig Smith’s Tag Team Champion! 🐻 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/yedvht2anj

– NHL (@NHL) May 20, 2021

In the next two games of the series, Boston jumped into a multi-goal lead as Washington failed to find a score against goalkeeper Tuka Rask. Again, the Capitals played in the playoffs.

Islanders set sail in the bubble

Due to the 19th pandemic, the NHL’s playoff schedule needs to be made some adjustments before the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs begin in mid-August. Three seeding rounds were added to each NHL team to provide action recovery and fully aim at the field. Washington ended the seeding with two wins and one loss before matching the New York Islanders in the first round of the 2020 playoffs.

The Capital struggled to score on Islander goalkeeper Semyon Varlamov, managing a trivial eight goals in the five-game series. Washington was very familiar with their opposing web boxes in the series – they drafted Varlamov with the 23rd overall choice in the 2006 NHL admission draft. He won 30 games in three seasons in Washington, before making an offseason trade with the Colorado Avalanche in July 2011, leading first-round and second-round draft picks in the 2012 draft.

The last ending game in the capital took place in the 2019 playoffs

The defending Stanley Cup champion capital won Washington’s first three games in the first round against the Carolina Hurricanes in 2019, including a 6-0 dominance in Game 5. However, they were unable to win in Carolina, and the Hurricane forced the championship at Capital One Arena on April 24.

The Capitals scored two first-stage goals at a 2-0 advantage before the Hurricane responded with a short hand goal from Sebastian Aho, who cut the lead into a second. A few minutes later, Evgeny Kuznetsov scored, giving Washington another two goals advantage with a 3-1 score. Teuvo Teravainen scored with less than four minutes left in the second stage, while Jordan Staal tied the game earlier in the third stage.

Washington and Carolina canceled the remaining 16 minutes and then included the game in overtime three-pointers. The first overtime also ended with a deadlock, with Hurricane Brock McGinn passing the puck past Braden Holtby 11:05 in doubles overtime to win a 4-3 Hurricane victory in Game 7.

Win the doubles @nhlcanes from @brockmcginn21Woolen cloth #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/ye1yxly8kf

– NHL (@NHL) April 25, 2019

McKin scored twice in the first round against Washington. He scored two goals and four assists for the Hurricanes in 15 games in the 2019 playoff game, but his most important moment was his doubles dagger against the Capitals.

Washington must avoid a slow start in Game 5 of the season

The capital survived Game 4 in Montreal, despite a 5-2 final score that may indicate. The game tied with less than four minutes before Andrew Mangiapane’s goal broke the 2-2 deadlock of 16:23. Brandon Duhaime and Tom Wilson added empty net goals to win.

Washington entered Game 5 behind them with motivation and family crowds in the series. The capital must appear strongly to avoid the doubts about the first round of losses in the past few past few times. Canadians demonstrated their ability to control the game in this series. Montreal’s early goals (or two) will begin Wednesday, with anxiety chats in a arena in the capital, who have seen too familiar scenes too many times over the past decade.