Well, they finally did it.
For the first time since 1994, the Capitals have beaten the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs and for the first time since 1998, they have advanced to the conference final.
If you thought this was going to be the same old story and the same old Caps again after Game 1, it's hard to blame you. Washington dominated for 55 minutes in that game, but the Penguins scored three goals in a 4:49 stretch to win 3-2. It felt like the quintessential Capitals-Penguins game.
But this year's team proved different.
The Capitals overcame every obstacle and every challenge as they finally defeated their archrivals, ending Pittsburgh's attempt to win the Stanley Cup for the third consecutive year.
It wasn't supposed to happen.
Given all the players Washington lost in the summer, they came into the season with a roster not nearly as strong as the ones that won the Presidents' Trophy in 2016 and 2017. But while the 2018 Caps were not as good on paper, they have shown themselves to be the best overall team by advancing further than any team in the Alex Ovechkin era has ever gone.
MORE CAPITALS PLAYOFF NEWS:
- Streak Over: D.C. finally breaks through
- Celly Time: Fans react to Kuzy's goal
- 4 Reasons Why: Game 6 win wasn't easy
- Power Ranks: Updated Standings
- 3 Stars: Game 6 belongs to Kuzy, Holtby
CAPITALS EXTRA PODCAST: GAME 6