by Wayne Viener
“It’s judgment day,” says my radio partner Bruce. And for the Washington Capitals, Bruce is correct. For all the years watching and waiting for the Caps to break through, today is the day.
The Capitals began life in 1974 and have yet to win the Stanley Cup. The team has been to two Conference Finals and one Stanley Cup Final. Whether tonight’s opponent is Pittsburgh or if Washington is just playing against history, they are equally tough opponents.
Tonight’s game is to get to the Conference Finals, a place where they have not been since 1998. And it is a hallowed Game Seven in a best-of-seven series. This is the most anticipated game of the hockey season. The two best teams squaring off, in a winner-take-all event.
It has become a badge of honor to say that I watched the Caps lose to the Islanders in, what at the time, was the longest NHL game ever played. That I saw the Bruins sweep the Caps in 4 games when they finally got to a Wales Division final. And celebrated like crazy when my Caps got to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998.
But that was all before Ovi and the Young Guns, Rock the Red and a rollicking Verizon Center. And before Sidney Crosby’s and the Penguins’ playoff dominance over the Capitals.
Back to “Judgment Day”, it is judgment day because the Capitals always seem to lose “this game.” The defining game of the franchise is a loss. It is a tradition. You start to believe that the team can’t win “this game.”
It seems that the Caps, over the last decade, always have a nemesis that is a bit better in these big moments. For the past decade that nemesis has been the Penguins. They can’t beat Pittsburgh in “this game.”
Not beating Pittsburgh and not getting to at least a Conference Final is defining the career of Alex Ovechkin. His obituary will read: One of the all-time greats, never beat Pittsburgh or Sidney Crosby in the playoffs. You don’t want to be known for that as your life’s work. Ovi is on his way to be hockey’s Dan Marino, an all-time great that never won the league championship. (Marino did make it to the Super Bowl, while Ovi has never even made it to a Conference championship).
Barry Trotz, the coach of the Caps, although one of the leaders in all-time NHL wins, has never been to the Conference Finals. In an ironic twist, Trotz’s last stop, Nashville, where he accumulated many of those wins, has now made it to the Western Conference finals.
The other player that has been a Cap for the entirety of #RocktheRed is Nicklas Backstrom, the wearer of the number 19 sweater (hockey jerseys are known as sweaters). He is one of the greatest Capitals and will have his sweater hanging in the rafters when he retires.
Backstrom gets to go head to head (no pun intended in regards to the oft concussed Crosby) with Sidney Crosby. Both are centers and match up for faceoffs. Their battle might be more physical, while Ovi’s is more mythical. The two greatest players of their generation, Ovechkin and Sid the Kid get to battle once more on Judgement Day.
And, for this to be a feel good story, to redeem the team, fans and city along with the Great 8, it is time that the Caps finally win “this game”.
Todd
I will believe it when it happens. I really think you meant Every defining game for this franchise has been a loss. As a Terps MLAX fan, I understand your pain.
· 11/12/2019