Record-Breaking Capitals Begin Playoff Run
Two weeks ago, the Washington Capitals were just a shadow of the team
that advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals just a season ago. That's when coach Ron Wilson stepped in and held his longest closed-door
meeting - three hours - since he took the bench job in the summer of
1997.
General manager George McPhee wasn't standing still, either. He gave his
team two weeks to improve its position in the standings. If the Capitals
didn't respond to his demands, he threatened to hold a fire-sale by
shopping the team's veterans - nine of which are unrestricted free
agents at the end of the season - to other clubs in the midst of a tight
playoff race.
"I'm going to wait as long as I can, although sure, I certainly have my
ears open," McPhee said. "If there's something there that makes sense,
then I'll have to do it, but I want to make sure our players get the
message I'm not conceding to anything yet."
Initially, Wilson's meeting and McPhee's threats didn't end Washington's
losing ways. Washington proceeded to lose badly in each of its next
three games, which included a 6-3 thumping to the lowly Los Angeles
Kings. In that game, the Capitals trailed 6-0 before rallying in the
third period to make the score look more respectable.
Nearly the same scenario occurred the next night in Toronto when the
Maple Leafs took a 4-0 lead into the locker room after two periods of
play. However, for the first time in weeks, the Capitals showed heart by
scoring three consecutive goals in the third period. Faithful followers
at Maple Leaf Gardens were seen covering their eyes with their hands.
Despite losing the game, 5-3, Washington finally left the opposition in
the vicarious position of sweating out a win.
However, the Capitals could not afford another loss. One week into the
new project, the wheels were falling off the wagon. With McPhee
departing to the annual general managers meeting, it appeared the
Capitals would be gutted from the inside out. But alas, with McPhee
gone, as well as Adam Oates and Mark Tinordi returning to the lineup,
Washington finally found its niche with an impressive 3-1 win over the
Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The Capitals outworked the Rangers in
all four corners of the rink, improving their record to 7-1 in their
last eight games at the Garden.
The win over New York was just a warm-up for the next game versus Tampa
Bay. Regardless of how this season turns out, Capitals fans will always
remember the night of Feb. 3, 1999. On that night, the Capitals
shattered four team records and two NHL records. Washington scored 10
times - with eight goals in the second half of the second period - to
electrocute the Lightning, 10-1.
NHL records now owned by the Capitals include the fastest eight goals
scored (9:34) and the fastest nine goals scored (11:32). Washington also
set team records for most goals scored in a period with eight - one
short of the NHL record - and most shots registered in a single period
with 25.
Right wing Peter Bondra was the human highlight film against Tampa Bay,
snapping out of a prolonged slump by scoring four goals for the fourth
time in his career.
Bondra is a streaky goal-scorer. When he goes on a scoring binge, he's
nearly impossible to stop. Combine that with his skilled linemates -
Oates and Joe Juneau (the JOB line) - and this line spells "d-a-n-g-e-r"
for Washington's opponents.
Bondra continued his hot streak two nights later by recording his second
hat trick in two games as the Capitals downed the Southeast
Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes, 4-1. Washington concluded the
two-week stretch by throttling the Buffalo Sabres and Dominik Hasek,
3-1, to match a season-high fourth straight win in a game televised
nationally by ESPN.
Although Bondra didn't score against Buffalo, seven goals in two games
and a plus-7 rating in four games were enough for him to be named NHL
Player of the Week for the third time in his career. He beat out
teammate Olie Kolzig (1.00 goals-against-average and a .956 save
percentage) and Colorado Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy to win the
award.
The next two weeks, which include five straight games on the road, will
go a long way in defining Washington's season. With games at Long
Island, New Jersey, Ottawa, Pittsburgh and Carolina, the Capitals must
be victorious at least three times to remain in the playoff hunt.
If this road-trip is anything like the franchise-long eight-game road
debacle in December, where the Capitals won just two games, the 1998-99
campaign will be one to forget. But if Washington continues playing with
the vigor it has displayed in its last four games, the post-season will
likely include the Capitals as one of the top eight seeds in the Eastern
Conference.
"I don't know what's so hard to see, when you're missing 40 or 50
percent of your lineup every night, why it's such a stretch of the
imagination to figure out why we can't win some games," Wilson said.
"Now we're healthy. That doesn't mean you win every game, but at least
it means you go into a game confident that if you do your thing there's
a good chance you can win the game and you don't need your goaltender to
stand on his head."
With Washington trailing Boston and Florida by only seven points
for the final playoff spot, McPhee's fire-sale has been preempted
by regular Capitals programming.
