Today sucks. Our cosmically bad-luck Washington Capitals are losing to the Penguins again in the playoffs. Despite out-shooting (35-21) and out-attempting (83-41) the Penguins by wide margins, the Capitals fell in regulation 3-2 after Nick Bonino scored on a late third period breakaway.
But here’s where I flip the script and say something that I’ve never said before: losing may have proved to be the best thing this Capitals team could have done.
Here’s why.
Before this season, the Capitals have played the Penguins nine times in the playoffs. They’ve lost eight of those series (11 percent winning percentage) and the Penguins have gone on to win the Stanley Cup four of those years.
But then there’s this fun fact. The Capitals had previously won Game One against the Penguins eight of nine times. Sure, the one year they lost Game One (2000), the seventh seeded Penguins defeated the second seeded Capitals in five games, but that’s not important. The point is something weird historically is already afoot in this series.
The Caps-Pens postseason script usually goes like this: the Capitals take a commanding, early-series lead against the Penguins and then choke at the very end.
But is it possible for the Capitals to choke in a series they’re immediately trailing in? The answer is no, you guys, and that might be setting the stage for a different result this year.
Here are a few more facts that might make you slightly more optimistic.
- According to Natural Stat Trick, the Penguins are the second-worst possession team in the playoffs. They have been getting shelled at even strength and only see 43.6 percent of the shot attempts going their way. This would suggest they are playing with fire (but don’t tell that to Bruce Boudreau).
- Per the Caps PR, Washington has posted a 10-6 record in Game Two when they trail a series 0-1
- The Capitals are 14-11 all-time in Game Two of a series.
- Washington has won Game Two in six of its last nine playoff series.
- Braden Holtby has posted a 1.6 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage in his career in Game Two.
- Alex Ovechkin has earned 16 points (ten goals, six assists) and Nicklas Backstrom has tallied 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 14 career Game Twos.
- And finally, this.
The #Caps may have lost game 1 but they outshot the Pens 35-21. Here’s why that’s good news for Washington #StanleyCup #RockTheRed #CapsPens pic.twitter.com/V2VoVPN3vN
— WinnersView (@AskWinnersView) April 28, 2017
Jay Beagle said it best this morning.
Caps Jay Beagle: “We woke up. The sun is shining. It’s one game.”
— Chris Gordon (@Chris_Gordon) April 28, 2017
It’s only one game — one game the team has typically won. But maybe this year is actually different.
Thanks to NBC 4 meteorologist and Frederick County native Amelia Draper for inspiring me to write this story.
Headline photo: Patrick Smith
