The Washington Capitals had an excellent season, pushed to Game 7 twice, and tonight came up short, very short. They rode their rookie goalie for the entire post season, and tonight he finally succumbed to the pressure. Of course it wasn’t completely his fault, the team was flat, and they gave up too many odd man breaks and chances. Many fans left early, but many more stayed, and watched the entire debacle. In the last two minutes of the game, they stood and cheered the Capitals to the final horn. This is a fan base who has lived with disappointment for decades, so one more season isn’t going to break them. To their credit, after the hometown team lost by four goals, they didn’t litter the ice, but rather stood and cheered.
The long time rivals ended the series the same way every playoff series ends in the NHL, with the shaking of hands at center ice. Ovechkin paused and spoke to his countryman and friend Sergei Gonchar for an extended period of time. Alex had injured Gonchar with a unfortunate hit in Game 3, and was no doubt expressing his regrets. Ovechkin then made his was down the line, and again paused to speak to his rival Sidney Crosby. The two gave the league one hell of a show, and short of a fight, everything a fan could ask for.
Then came time for the team to salute the fans, something that has become a bit of a tradition. This certainly isnt the way the fans and the team wanted this season to end, but atleast it came on home ice so that such a scene could take place. The Washington Capitals certainly have a large amount of new fans, but thousands of old fans too. All of them will be back next season, and could be heard saying what is quickly becoming the sports motto in this town, “We’ll get em next year.”
