Despite tying the game in the third and beating the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime, the Washington Capitals have lost out on a division championship for the first time in six seasons.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have clinched the MassMutual East and home ice in the first two rounds of the playoffs. With the Capitals’ 2-1 overtime win, they will officially be the number two seed in the Divisional Playoffs.
EAST DIVISION CHAMPS… and just getting started!
For the first time since the 2013.14 season, the Penguins have captured a division title.
Read more: https://t.co/zw8aLeqALO pic.twitter.com/CaViFOMte2
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 9, 2021
The Penguins earned their first division championship in seven years after defeating the Buffalo Sabres 1-0 earlier in the day.
The Capitals will now play the number three seed in the first round of the playoffs and have home ice in that series. It will be against either the New York Islanders or the Boston Bruins.
The Bruins lead the Islanders by one standings point and have one game in hand. The Bruins’ play the Islanders on Monday (NYI’s last game) and then the Capitals on Tuesday.
The Capitals had won the Metropolitan Division five straight years under Barry Trotz and Todd Reirden respectively.
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