Tonight, the Washington Capitals will play in Tampa Bay’s Amalie Arena for the first time since becoming Eastern Conference champions on May 23, 2018.
After taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Final, the Caps lost the next three games to the NHL’s best team, looking vulnerable and likely to lose. Instead, Washington shutout the Lightning in the final two games to win the series 4-3 and advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1998. The celebration was raucous.
That night was beautiful and inspired some of the best content in RMNB history. It also led to change. Behind the scenes, our database was getting pummeled by web traffic and we couldn’t publish to our site after the game, leading to a front-page story in our hometown paper Stanley Cup-sized technical difficulties for Russian Machine Never Breaks.
Since then, the Capitals raised the Stanley Cup for the first time and we got a new website. I also had one of my most memorable moments as a fan after the game.
Let’s recap.
PERSPECTIVE: I want a new favorite hockey memory
Two decades earlier, the Capitals beat the Buffalo Sabres and went to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time. I was a teenager then and had regrets I couldn’t celebrate with the team afterward. Joe Juneau scoring that OT goal against Hasek had remained my favorite moment as a Caps fan.
The morning of Game Seven against Tampa, I was so nervous and anxious, I wrote for 20 minutes. This article was the result and I’m really proud I did it.
Barry Trotz takes hot lap from Alex Ovechkin before Game Seven
Capitals head coach Barry Trotz took the reigns from Alex Ovechkin on the team’s hot lap, their superstitious lap before the team’s morning skate on the road. A great moment.
Caps lines are the same.
Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
Burakovsky-Eller-Connolly
Stephenson-Beagle-DSPKempny-Carlson
Orlov-Niskanen
Orpik-DjoosHoltby to start.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) May 23, 2018
These lines should be familiar. The Capitals used them in the Stanley Cup Final and much of the 2018-19 season. Our analysis follows in this article.
Alex Ovechkin scores 62 seconds into Game Seven
Coming into Game Seven, the entire Caps fanbase had nerves. These are the types of games our favorite sports teams lose, we figured. Instead, Alex Ovechkin scored in the first minute of the game. After that, it was #ALLCAPS.
Tom Wilson fights Braydon Coburn after the Lightning defenseman rips Evgeny Kuznetsov’s jersey off
During the game, Tom Wilson fought Braydon Coburn after an especially rough melee near the crease. Coburn took liberties with Evgeny Kuznetsov. After Wilson and Coburn served their minors for roughing, they exited the penalty box and fought. It was a another huge moment.
Perfect child Andre Burakovsky puts the Caps up 2-0 in Game Seven
Andre Burakovsky has struggled in 2018-19, but his Game Seven performance against the Bolts was legendary. The Swedish forward scored twice in the second period. This was his first goal.
Andre Burakovsky’s two-goal second period gives Caps 3-0 lead in Game Seven
Burakovsky’s second goal was even more beautiful. Alex Ovechkin’s reaction at the bench is must see.
RECAP: Um, y’all, Caps beat Lightning 4-0, advance to Stanley Cup Final
Peter’s recap is a work of Word Art that I wish I could print out, frame, and put on my wall.
Official Washington Capitals Eastern Conference Champion shirts and hats
The merch (that we bought but didn’t end up wearing anyway because the Stanley Cup gear is so much more awesome).
Alex Ovechkin’s joy at the bench is pure euphoria. During these moments, you cans see that figurative monkey sliding off his back.
Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals were not scared to touch the Prince of Wales Trophy
What an emotional moment.
The best moments from the Capitals Game Seven victory video
Cara perfectly recapped the Capitals victory video with these awesome GIFs.
Braden Holtby cried as the Capitals took their Eastern Conference Champions team photo
The Game Seven win hit Braden Holtby, just like Alex Ovechkin, especially hard.
The NHL should credit Jay Beagle for the Capitals’ Game Seven empty-net goal, not Nicklas Backstrom
This decision likely cost Beags at least $50k during free agency. For shame, NHL scorer!
Nicklas Backstrom’s mystery hand injury appears to be a grotesquely broken index finger
Somehow, Nicklas Backstrom played hockey with this purple swollen thing.
My eight new favorite hockey memories were all from 2018
My new favorite hockey memory. Thanks, Ovi, for making being a fan of the Capitals so fun.
