Best Moments of The Run

[CapsDC]

Adding a few more:

Ovechkin game winner against Pittsburgh (set up by Backstrom)
Ovechkin setting up Vrana's game winner against Pittsburgh
Ovechkin setting up Kuznetsov's game winner against Pittsburgh
Walker setting up Chiasson's game winner against Pittsburgh
Ovechkin obliterating Victor Hedman
Orpik laying the wood in game 6 against the Lightning
Oshie skate to stick goal in game 4. DSP copy cat goal a bit later.
Ovechkin hoisting the cup obviously. Epic cup hoisting. All class.
Ovechkin handing the cup to Backstrom and Backstrom screaming in Ovechkin's face "****in RIIGHT!

I rewatched the game last night and rewound this part at least 10 times. Possibly the greatest minute in Caps history. Ovechkin taking the cup and skating with it then screaming NICKY NICKY and giving it to Nick, and them taking the next lap together. I swear there's a lot of dust in my house, my eyes are watering a bit just typing this

 

[DCRedhawk21]

Just personally - The 5 big moments I'll remember most from this run:

1.) DSP tying goal in game 5 of the finals (really everything that happened from there through the end of the end of the Cup presentation and celebration)
2.) Kuznetsov's game 6 and series OT winner versus the Pens
3.) The Save
(for me, those are the clear top 3)
4.) Eller's double OT winner in game 3 against CBJ to bring the Caps back from the brink
5.) Ovi's late dagger against the Pens in game 3

My second tier/other enjoyable moments:
1.) The 2 goal swing in game 1 against Tampa (Kucherov goal called back and Ovi nails one on the PP)
2.) Everything that happened to set up Ovi's goal in game 7 against Tampa (Wilson nailing Kunitz and then the pass to Kuzy and over to Ovi)
3.) Ovi's goal in game 3 of the finals
4.) Game 6 against CBJ (Orlov's great move and bomb to open things up, Ovi's 2 goals, DSP's clutch goal to restore a 2 goal lead in the third when the Jackets were pressing, and Stephenson's shorty to seal it). Looking back it's easier to see this game as a sign of things to come. Big plays, no tentativeness, and clutch scoring with the series on the line.
5.) The physicality they brought against Tampa in game 6. Looking a little down and out after losing 3 straight, but they brought the house in game 6 and came up big. Tampa, for all their skill, had no answer for the Cap's elevating their game here.

Overall - a playoff run that went through Torts (plus a team that seemed to want to play/engineer a match-up against the Caps in round 1), the Pens, Tampa (2003, 2011, plus the contingent of ex-Rangers and Penguins), and GMGM/MAF - just too good. I'm sure there are better story-book runs out there in the history of the NHL, but this one is pretty ****ing good.

 

[Nice]

Don't think I've ever screamed as loud as I did when Kuzy got the G6 OT goal. Same with the DSP game 5 tying goal. Knew we were winning as soon as he got that.

 

[Corby78]

Finally picking a working playoff avatar ? Who knew Willy and Scooby-Doo would do it?

 

[RandyHolt]

Randy Randoms

• DSP I am going to f***ing kill you
• Orpik taking out / invisibizing Vanek early in round 2
  
• Oshie missile launch and fight with Letang who was noticeably HORRIBLE after that. Like series changing horrible. He couldnt even play a 2 on 2 after that.
  
• Seeing Holtby at Kettler signing autographs before R1G2 and biting my tongue to tell him, we will need you, so be ready.
• That little motherf***ers primary in R2G6.
• Orpik's stick check helping out Djoos to prevent a back breaking goal. Whereabouts unknown.
• All the posts our opposition hit that we will never remember.
• Oshie post game talking Alzheimers and his father remembering the Cup win.
• Becoming Road Warriors

There are many others but I need to run chkdsk /r first.

 

[Devil Dancer]

Finally picking a working playoff avatar ? Who knew Willy and Scooby-Doo would do it?

Funny, this is the first year I didn't take a playoff avatar.

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Funny, this is the first year I didn't take a playoff avatar.

I had it for the first 2 games. Took it off and the rest is history

 

[txpd]

Funny, this is the first year I didn't take a playoff avatar.

I don't do playoff avatars. I lose my grasp of who is who when everyone has one. I am ready to retire Paul Newman though and the "same seats" has me wondering if I should do that or not

 

[EYEuhFRAYtee]

Finally picking a working playoff avatar ? Who knew Willy and Scooby-Doo would do it?

It was Wilson, it was always Wilson.

 

[RandyHolt]

It was Wilson, it was always Wilson.

One day mid loffs I decided to take a look at the stats, and saw Willy was leading our team or league in ESP/GP. I posted about here, and a day later saw it getting talked about elsewhere. That was one of my favorite moments, knowing he was far exceeding any expectations on the score sheet, while solidly maintaining the villain label.

Willy was a stud this playoffs, even after getting neutered. He eased up on the hitting and was still effective. He had a lot of nice assists including using the boards. I noticed he also starting hitting guys at the bench which I don't think was a coincidence.

Another shoutout to game 6 vs Tampa. We physically and mentally destroyed them. Game 7, they tapped out after the Willy fight. The waving of the Kuzy jersey was the white flag.

Hopefully one day we won't have to do the math ourselves to get ESP/GP.

 

[stanleycaps18]

The various celebrations around DC on Saturday are a close second to 'the save" and DSP's goal in Game 5 - I had little doubt it was done when he potted that.

 

[kicksavedave]

Lotta great moments here but I'll submit this: Ovi's missile shot a minute into game R3G7 (game 7 vs TB for those who are contraction challenged).

Lets face it, beating the Pens was a watershed moment, but I know a lot on this board still had doubts. Talk about all the ways the Caps could "Cap" it up and lose this series after being up 2-0. Maybe Game 6 was a mirage? Tampa was surely going to bring it hard. Getting this far was pretty good enough.

After helping vanquish the Pens in overtime of game 6, Ovi didn't waste any time silencing all doubts in game 7. All playoffs long, when the Caps really needed someone to really push them to believe that this was their year, Ovi answered that call every time! Maybe none bigger than setting the tone 1 minute into Game 7 that "We're winning this game and we're going to win the Cup"

That would be my best moment! Thats when I knew this team was different and all the demons were completely gone. I had no doubts at all vs VGK. I knew Ovi wouldn't let them lose.

 

[Silky mitts]

Put some thought into mine, drop off for me after top 3, then after 11

1) r4g2 the save
2) r2g6 Kuzy strips 87 gets breakaway pass from Ovy GW
3) r3g6 DSP clears from corner, Stephenson beats Coburn, DSP makes it 2-0, and the Cup felt likely
4) r3g1 Kucherov goal overturned on too many men, Ovy scores immediately
5) r3g7 Ovy scores 62 seconds in
6) r4g3 Kuzy keeps it on 3 on 1 makes it 2-0
7) r4g4 We want the cup chant with 3 minutes left
8) r2g5 Vrana’s GW after replacing DSP on top line
9) r1g3 Eller in 2OT
10) r3g7 Wilson murders Coburn for taking Kuzy’s jersey
11) r2g2 Ovy GW off post rebound
12-15) r4g5 Each goal was equally great

 

[RandyHolt]

Bigger Picture / Exorcisms

• Coming back from down 2-0 to CBus is but an after thought at this point, but was still great.
• Beating Pitt, only to learn our Tampa demons were pretty much as bad as vs Pitt, if not worse.
• Beating Tampa with authority in game 6 and then Ovi scoring early in game 7 en route to victory
• And then probably sometime in R4G3, realizing that Vegas was simply not in our class.
• But then going up 3-1, and remembering we still had that last choke demon to conquer.
• Winning the very next game, and not letting that final demon get a foot hold over our destiny.

 

[895]

Oh my god I'm crying.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

“There’s no practice tomorrow because there is no one left to beat.”

Classic Barry Trotz.