At what point did you know...

[sycamore]

At what point during the past Cup run did you know, in your heart and soul, that the Caps were going to win the Cup this year?

For me, it was the first period of Game 4 of the Vegas series. The Caps came out like a storm in that period, like a tidal wave that would obliterate everything in its path -- TJ Oshie scored a determined goal on the PP, Tom Wilson rifled one in on a gorgeous setup from Kuzy, and then DSP punched one in to extend his legendary playoff streak. Vegas looked totally battered, after a single period.

And that was it. Right there and then. I realized that Vegas was simply overwhelmed by the Caps talent wise, that the Caps were battle tested by their earlier series while Vegas were still kind of green, and that the Caps desire to win was off the freakin' richter scale.

So when was it for you? Coming back from down 2-0 to Columbus? Winning in Game 6 vs Pittsburgh in their own barn? Coming back against Tampa after blowing a 2-0 lead? When was that defining moment?

Click to read more...

 

[Dr John Carlson]

I wasn't completely sold on it until August.

 

[g00n]

Columbus series is when they showed me they were different, though I hadn't given up hope.

 

[Ridley Simon]

At what point during the past Cup run did you know, in your heart and soul, that the Caps were going to win the Cup this year?

For me, it was the first period of Game 4 of the Vegas series. The Caps came out like a storm in that period, like a tidal wave that would obliterate everything in its path -- TJ Oshie scored a determined goal on the PP, Tom Wilson rifled one in on a gorgeous setup from Kuzy, and then DSP punched one in to extend his legendary playoff streak. Vegas looked totally battered, after a single period.

And that was it. Right there and then. I realized that Vegas was simply overwhelmed by the Caps talent wise, that the Caps were battle tested by their earlier series while Vegas were still kind of green, and that the Caps desire to win was off the freakin' richter scale.

So when was it for you? Coming back from down 2-0 to Columbus? Winning in Game 6 vs Pittsburgh in their own barn? Coming back against Tampa after blowing a 2-0 lead? When was that defining moment?

I made a few posts before the playoffs started, that I thought this was their best TEAM that I’d ever seen. I liked the mix of youth and experience, and grit and skill. They seemed to have it all. So I felt very good coming into the playoffs.

That said, I didn’t really know it was going to happen until it ended. I’ve been burnt so many times w false feelings of “we got this”, that I simply believe it until it was done.

And even then it didn’t seem real. It still doesn’t, in a lot of ways.

 

[maacoshark]

There was two moments in these playoffs that got my confidence up. The first was when Holtby replaced Grubauer. I knew our only chance was with Holtby. The 2nd was Kuzys goal to eliminate the Pens. It seemed to take a lot of pressure off the team. Even when they were down 3 games to 2 against Tampa I had no doubt they would win that series. Beating the Pens was a huge. The last 3 seasons I thought the only team that could beat us was the Pens. If had beaten them the previous 2 seasons I think we would have won the cup both of those years.

 

[Sam Spade]

Game five against the Pens was the first time I started to think they could go all the way.

Losing 3-2 heading into the third.......they ALWAYS lose that game.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Tom Wilson beat down in Tampa after they ripped off kuzys jersey

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

3 mins left in game 5 against Vegas? Actually probably the first moment was leaving game 4. I knew in my heart I had just seen the last home game of the season.

 

[kicksavedave]

I think people forget just how close we could have been to this being just another season like all the rest. Didn't Pitt hit a post in OT in game 6? That puck goes in and god only knows how this thing ends. So Kuzy exorcising those flightless bird demons was when I first suspected this year could be different. But then games 6+7 vs TB, convinced me that this team -could- win, because they stepped on the neck of an opponent with a whole lot on the line, like they had never done before.

But it was game 2, "The Save" vs the VGK that convinced me that they could not be stopped. They were a team of destiny and this was our time!

Lots of incredible moments along the way, but I had doubts they could pull it all off until they held on in Vegas to win their first SCF game ever. After that I had no doubt at all.

BTW, Dr John Carlson's post is hilarious

 

[peterthegreat12]

The last week of June after I had re-watched the entire playoff run.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I think people forget just how close we could have been to this being just another season like all the rest. Didn't Pitt hit a post in OT in game 6? That puck goes in and god only knows how this thing ends. So Kuzy exorcising those flightless bird demons was when I first suspected this year could be different. But then games 6+7 vs TB, convinced me that this team -could- win, because they stepped on the neck of an opponent with a whole lot on the line, like they had never done before.

But it was game 2, "The Save" vs the VGK that convinced me that they could not be stopped. They were a team of destiny and this was our time!

Lots of incredible moments along the way, but I had doubts they could pull it all off until they held on in Vegas to win their first SCF game ever. After that I had no doubt at all.

BTW, Dr John Carlson's post is hilarious

Talking about bad shit that could have gone wrong is Old Cap’s fan Schtick. That sad rap is over Dave.

 

[kicksavedave]

Talking about bad **** that could have gone wrong is Old Cap’s fan Schtick. That sad rap is over Dave.

Yeah, it ended when Kuzy went 5 hole to close that series out. Up til then I had plenty of doubts.

Now, none whatsoever. I'd like a rematch with the 97/98 Wings and then 4 straight series vs the Pens. We'd go 5-0! They'd need to make us a new Cup!

 

[Foots]

Game 5 of the second round. The Pens played their best game of the series and the Caps still beat them.

 

[EroCaps]

I thought they'd beat Vegas.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

I thought they'd beat Vegas.

Vegas was the weakest team we played all playoffs. And it showed in results

 

[artilector]

Kuznetsov's goal against the Pens was the "everything is now possible" moment for me.

After that the belief grew "naturally" in proportion to the games-remaining/series-score situation.

Once they were up on Vegas, it looked like it was theirs for the taking.

 

[Holtbyisms]

At what point during the past Cup run did you know, in your heart and soul, that the Caps were going to win the Cup this year?

For me, it was the first period of Game 4 of the Vegas series. The Caps came out like a storm in that period, like a tidal wave that would obliterate everything in its path -- TJ Oshie scored a determined goal on the PP, Tom Wilson rifled one in on a gorgeous setup from Kuzy, and then DSP punched one in to extend his legendary playoff streak. Vegas looked totally battered, after a single period.

And that was it. Right there and then. I realized that Vegas was simply overwhelmed by the Caps talent wise, that the Caps were battle tested by their earlier series while Vegas were still kind of green, and that the Caps desire to win was off the freakin' richter scale.

So when was it for you? Coming back from down 2-0 to Columbus? Winning in Game 6 vs Pittsburgh in their own barn? Coming back against Tampa after blowing a 2-0 lead? When was that defining moment?

Definitely agree, game 4 was it for me where I was completely sold. I went holy **** we're going to win the Cup. We're a well oil machine, Vegas run and gun that made them so good all season has been contained and Holtby is playing out of his freaking mind.

However, I have to admit when Kuznetsov buried the Penguins I thought about me and all my Penguins friends discussion every single year...Cup final is the second round of the Metro top dogs every season...Whoever wins Caps-Pens will win the Cup.... I kind of had a good feeling but my abused DC Sports mind couldn't completely buy in yet.

 

[WanderingCapsFan]

There were so many other pivotal moments afterward, but I remember the last seconds of the first period of the first game of the Tampa series..........

Capitals were up 1-0, and Kucherov scores with 8 seconds left to tie the game......but Tampa is called for too many men on the ice, and OV scores 2 seconds later. Instead of going to the first intermission in game 1 at 1-1, it was suddenly was 2-0 Caps.

I just remember feeling that, maybe, this time, FOR ONCE, the breaks could go our way.

 

[Raikkonen]

Well, getting past Pitts was huge but Tampa and Vegas seemed dangerous. I believed they can win but watching G1 against Vegas I came to conclusion Vegas is weaker and Caps will win. Even after losing G1, yeah.

Tampa was kinda like Caps of the past punchers chance styled team (c) artilector
So they could do damage at any time. Vegas was not that good.

Edit: although i still not believe that happened kinda

 

[animositynow]

honestly, I couldn't bring my self to believe even in the finals. I was PROUD of the team for where they had got, but something embedded in me from years of disappointment told me they would disappoint somehow.

when we went down 3-2 to tampa however, I was eerily calm. I kinda figured they would just do it, and they did.

now i am waiting for the next playoffs where I can believe from the get go again. I was so tentative to believing during this run I feel like I missed some of the magic, so that part I regret. But it is what it is, and everything is just incredible now.

 

[Silky mitts]

Greater than 50% chance: when DSP scored vs Tampa in game 6.
100% chance: when Kuzy scored on the I think 3 on 1 vs Vegas in game 3.

 

[Corby78]

I stopped worrying about the games after the Kuzy winner in Pitt. The first two series were miserable to me (like the last few years).

After the back to back shutouts to close out TB, I felt we like we were the odds favorite to win it all.

The Save late in game two was when I started feeling like it was just a matter of time.

After game 3 I knew it was over.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

As soon as I cancelled my season tickets, I knew.

 

[Chokingdogs]

I knew in my heart and soul in game 5 with about 8 seconds left.

I knew, like I thought I knew many many times before, several times during the POs.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Weirdly, I started to get confident after the Game 1 meltdown against the Pens. I know it makes no sense. And it was just so Caps-history-of-agony to dominate the Pens for 45 minutes, and then give up 3 goals in like 3 minutes in the 3rd period to fall behind 3-2. But what I noticed in the last 10 minutes of that game was that their body language was good, they continued to play hard, got some chances, and just kept at it. They didn't win; but neither did they fall into a black hole of despair and surrender - as they had done in so many key playoff games against the Pens and the Rangers. I think the experience of blowing 2-0 leads in Games 1 and 2 against Cbus, and still being able to come back from a 2-0 series deficit, gave them a firmer sense of belief that this loss - as bad as it was, and it was bad - was not the end of the world. They seemed determine not to let that loss snowball on them, the way previous playoff losses had