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The Washington Capitals’ Top 10 moments of the decade

By Ian Oland

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January 1, 2020 7:45 pm

To celebrate the turn of the decade, the Washington Capitals named their top 10 moments of the 2010s and you guys, there were a lot of good highlights to pick from.

The Capitals’ list includes several big goals during the team’s Stanley Cup run in 2018, several round-number milestones by a few of its stars, past playoff heroics, and the team’s Winter Classic wins.

Full countdown

10. Caps win Pittsburgh Winter Classic

Way back at the start of the decade, the Capitals-Penguins rivalry was as tense as it had ever been. On January 1, 2011, the Caps (and tens of thousands of its fans) walked into rival Heinz Field and beat the Penguins on their home (and wet) ice. Eric Fehr scored twice to secure the victory for Washington. At the time, it felt like one of the biggest wins in franchise history. Boy, have things come so far since then.

9. Backstrom’s 500th 🍎

On January 7, 2017, Nicklas Backstrom became the 139th player in NHL history to record his 500 assists when he collected an apple in the first period of a Capitals-Senators game. He also became the tenth Swedish-born player to hit the milestone. The All-Star center was later given a golden stick as a gift for the accomplishment.

8) Ovi’s 500th goal

Alex Ovechkin became the fifth-fastest player to score 500 career goals on a January 10, 2016, game against the Ottawa Senators. Ovechkin’s parents were in attendance for the milestone. Ovi’s father Mikhail took video on his iPhone while Ovechkin’s mother Tatyana cried in the stands. Ovechkin blew his mom a kiss. Shortly after, the Capitals presented Ovechkin with a gold stick just like Backstrom.

7) Lars Eller’s 2OTGWG vs CBJ

The Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup in 2018, but they only got there after found their way against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round. After losing the first two games, Barry Trotz benched starter Philipp Grubauer and turned to Braden Holtby. Game Three was the pivotal point in the series. And the Caps won it. In double overtime, Lars Eller got a fortunate bounce and put the puck past Sergei Bobrovsky. The Caps would win the next three games to take the series four games to two.

6) Troy Brouwer’s Winter Classic GWG

Ah, let us reminisce to the days of #FirstLineBeagle. The Capitals won their second Winter Classic game in 2015, but it took a clutch goal from Troy Brouwer to do it. After Alex Ovechkin got his stick slashed in half, Brouwer picked up the loose puck and fired it past Corey Crawford. The Brouwer Rangers, along with tens of thousands of Caps fans, lost their sh*t in the stands.

5) Ovi passes Bondra in points

It took Alex Ovechkin less than a decade to pass Peter Bondra in franchise points and this was the moment it happened. Ovechkin scored career point number 826 on November 4, 2014, after tallying an assist on a Nicklas Backstrom against the Calgary Flames.

4) Joel Ward’s G7OTGWG

Bruce Boudreau was fired a few months into the 2011-12 season, giving us Dale Hunter and his coin flip hockey. Hunter’s system juuust got the Capitals past the Boston Bruins in the first round after an otherworldly performance by Braden Holtby and this clutch Game Seven goal by Joel Ward. You guys, I love watching The Big Cheese cheesin’ big. Also, it’s worth nothing Ward got trapped in a bathroom stall the very next season. Like literally.

3) Braden Holtby’s The Save

What’s there to say about The Save that hasn’t been said? Late in Game Two, the Capitals clung to a late lead and then — OH NO! — that dump-in just took a very very unfortunate bounce to Vegas. Holtby threw out his stick and stopped Alex Tuch’s shot in mid-air, preserving the Capitals lead. Washington would go on to win four straight games.

2) Kuzy eliminates Pens

The Pittsburgh Penguins had won two straight Stanley Cups after beating the Capitals in the second round of the playoffs. And then the 2018 postseason happened. During Game Six with the Capitals owning a 3-2 series lead, Evgeny Kuznetsov poked the puck away from Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin sent him on a breakaway. Kuzy beat Matt Murray for the overtime game-winner. John Walton screamed iconically, “THE DEMONS HAVE BEEN EXORCISED!”

1) Caps win Stanley Cup

The Capitals winning the Stanley Cup was the decade’s best moment. And honestly, this may end up being the best moment of the century too. Way to go, Caps. Thanks for all the memories in 2010s. Let’s make some more in the Roaring Twenties.

Headline photo: NBC Sports

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