The History of all 10 Pens-Caps Playoff Matchups From Someone Who's seen Them All

[billcook]

The history of the Capitals blowing and sucking.

You are mouthful aren't you.

 

[third man in]

You are mouthful aren't you.

I really doubt it

 

[philip]

This is so rude, but I pissed myself

 

[Fatty McLardy]

I really doubt it

heyooooo

 

[tom_servo]

The narrative is even worse than the record, IMO.

'92 is really when the Caps' nightmares began. Instead of avenging their loss the previous year, they give up a 3-1 lead and watched the Pens hoist the cup again.

The Caps did win a gutty first round series in '94 over a talented but underwhelming Pens team. And then were summarily dispatched by the Rangers in the next round.

'95 and '96, more nightmares for the Caps. In the former, Jaromir Jagr (with Luc Robitaille) puts the Mario-less Pens on his back to erase another 3-1 series deficit. Next year, with Lemieux (and Petr Nedved in 4OT), yet another 2-game lead was surmounted.

In 2000, after a scheduling quirk which placed games 2-3 in Pittsburgh, coach Ron Wilson said his Caps would beat the Pens anywhere they play. Of course, they lost game 1 at home 7-0 and the series 4-1.

Next season, Lemieux returned from retirement and the Pens won in 6, courtesy of a Gonchar giveaway to Straka in OT. Gonchar, like another maligned defenseman Larry Murphy, would find more success in the other side.

In the meantime, the Caps turned the tables and stole Jagr from the Pens. A new era would emerge. But Jagr brought no magic with him. Playoff embarrassments ensue, eventually in their dumping Jagr for Anson Carter. This helped them win the LeBron of hockey, Alex Ovechkin, over the last-place Pens. A new era would again emerge. But luckily the Pens would draft Malkin #2, and losing that lottery gave the Pens an extra ball in the Crosby sweepstakes. The Pens win Crosby the following year.

2009, the first meeting in this new era. Two game lead for the Caps, 6-2 loss at home in game 7. Another Cup for the Pens.

And the last two years, which I need not recount, another game 7 loss at home for the Caps. Two more Cups for Pittsburgh.

 

[Calicaps]

I hate this thread.

 

[madinsomniac]

I hate this thread.

... before the games start ( and usually after the series) I sometimes feel bad for some Caps fans... kind of like Browns fans in the NFL...

 

[ColePens]

Give credit to the OP for sharing a hockey experience as opposed to bullshit "tl;dr" posts. If you didn't read, leave the thread. If someone can recall every single game from these series- cool. My memory is awful so i use the google machine.

 

[Coastal Kev]

You could have stopped at "oral" as the recap of the series

 

[Revelation]

Maybe the Pens could just let the Caps have this one like in 94. Crosby and Ovechkin are friends now, I'm sure he realizes it's a much bigger deal for OV than another nth cup for him and his stacked superteam. No one would bat an eye if he lost a playoff series after winning 9 in a row whereas Ovechkin will get raked over the coals if the caps lose even if he puts up 20 points.

 

[Wolf Larsen]

I'm almost rooting for the Caps to win against the Pens just to see this blight on their history resolved.

David beating Goliath.

The sun peaking through after an extended overcast nightmare.

Almost....but not quite.

 

[alko]

One of the reasons, that new owner of Caps traded for Jagr, was also this negative record vs Pens. But it didnt helped.

 

[tempofound]

You gotta figure eventually they win one of these, even if they are theoretically overmatched on paper?

My bracket depends on it

Your bracket is dumb.

 

[bobholly39]

Really cool writeup OP

 

[smetana]

I'll always remember the first playoff game I ever got to attend. Was in 1996 at the Igloo, the brawl-filled game vs the Caps where Jimmy Schoenfeld and Trottier got into it across the benches. Shony got tossed from the game and had to walk across the ice to the tunnel, to the fans' glee. What a game.

 

[MartyOwns]

I am trying to figure how this is oral.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

So the Caps can only beat the Penguins in a playoff series following two cup wins by the Penguins. Maybe the stars are aligned for the Caps this year?

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Maybe the Pens could just let the Caps have this one like in 94. Crosby and Ovechkin are friends now, I'm sure he realizes it's a much bigger deal for OV than another nth cup for him and his stacked superteam. No one would bat an eye if he lost a playoff series after winning 9 in a row whereas Ovechkin will get raked over the coals if the caps lose even if he puts up 20 points.

This is professional hockey. If we can't win the Cup by ourselves, I don't want someone to hand it to us out of pity, it would cheapen the accomplishment. That's never gonna happen anyway.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

I really doubt it

I'd like to report a murder....

 

[mrv52]

While this write up is good, and accurate, I would like to see it written up from a Caps fans perspective (or maybe not).

As a former Caps season ticket holder (1989-2011) I witnessed much of this first hand and have a slightly different take on some of it, but again, understand that it was written up from a Pens fans perspective.

 

[smetana]

While this write up is good, and accurate, I would like to see it written up from a Caps fans perspective (or maybe not).

As a former Caps season ticket holder (1989-2011) I witnessed much of this first hand and have a slightly different take on some of it, but again, understand that it was written up from a Pens fans perspective.

So, write it up. I'd be genuinely interested in reading this from the other side's perspective.

 

[mrv52]

So, write it up. I'd be genuinely interested in reading this from the other side's perspective.

Yeah, I wish I had that kind of time

 

[byrath]

Still to this day I wonder what happened in 1994 the one time the Penguins lost. They scored just 12 goals in 6 games and from what I recall the Penguins never looked like the better team, despite the best forward group in Pens history.

Stevens-Lemieux-Tocchet
Mullen-Francis-Jagr
Mceachern-Straka-Sandstrom

Doug Brown who had 55 points that year was there 10 the forward and they had Naslund in his rookie year and Bryan Troitter as there 4the line center that season.

Insane forward roster. Four HoFers + 2 HoVGers in the top six, a third line full of 1st/2nd line tweener types and freaking Trottier on the 4th.

 

[HunterSThompson]

From the Caps fan perspective.

1991: 2nd round - Caps lose in 5

Tom friggin Barrasso

1992: 2nd round - Caps lose game 7

Friggin' Mario

1994: 1st round - Caps in 6

Capitals totally upset the better Pens team. They definitely deserved it. Despite a mightily inferior roster, the Caps beat the Pens with little help from the greatest British Goaltender in NHL history.

1995: 1st round - Caps lose again in game 7

Gosh Jim Carey stunk in the playoffs. Ken friggin' Wregget - the opposite

1996: 1st round - Caps lose in 6

Jim Carey again. Pulled from 2 of the 3 games he started. Why did he start game 7? OH yeah, he won the Vezina that year. What a schlub. Ken Wregget had another nice series of course.

2000: 1st round - Caps mercifully ousted in 5

Capitals leading goal scorer in 99-2000. Chris Simon. 'nuff said.

2001: 1st round - Caps lose in 6

pre-Madonna Adam Oates coasts through a six game loss to Pens. Caps rid themselves of Oates and trade for Jagr in post-season only to find out he didn't like playing for Ron Wilson or defense either.

2009: 2nd round - Caps lose in 7

Varly too much game 7 pregame Vodka. Meanwhile, I had too much game 7 pregame Vodka and forgot to watch game 7. That Caps d-corp was pretty...pretty..pretty, pretty, pretty bad.

2016: 2nd round - Caps lose in 6

Crosby laid the groundwork for his first Conn Smythe.

2017: 2nd round - Caps lose in 7

friggin' Fleury.