The Washington Capitals have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games. The Cup defense is over.
The Canes out-shot the Caps 42 to 37.
- There are no words to heal a wound so fresh. We’ve been through this many a time before, but the success of last year tasted so sweet that this bitterness coming back is like a 5 ton cannonball getting driven straight through our hearts. I’m not going to bore you with numbers, they don’t matter at this stage. Lets just reflect on some things from this season.
- Like our good buddy Steve Dangle reminds his fellow Leafs fans that Auston Matthews is a Leaf, I will remind you all that Alex Ovechkin is a Cap. I think Ovi was somehow primed for an even better individual postseason if his team had returned to the glory of last year. He’ll be back.
- Brian MacLellan is the most underrated general manager in the league. His shrewd additions of Nick Jensen and Carl Hagelin at this year’s trade deadline were immediate, perfect fits. I hope he brings Hagelin back for a couple more years and has a few more tricks up his sleeve this offseason. He’ll be back.
- TJ Oshie and Michal Kempny going down injured really hurt this team and tested its depth. It’s always going to be hard for a team to overcome losing a top pairing defenseman and their second leading goal scorer. They’ll both be back and healthy.
- Braden Holtby and Nicklas Backstrom will be back. Tom Wilson will be back. The pieces are all still there for another couple runs at this thing.
- Lastly, I just want to say thanks for reading these things after every game this season. It’s been my pleasure to do these for two seasons now and they won’t be going away for a third. Cant win ’em all, but we wish they could. Lets go Caps.
Dear @ovi8,
It's not goodbye, it's see you later.
Yours truly,
SC— The Stanley Cup (@StanleyCup) April 25, 2019
Headline photo: NBC Sports Washington
