Where has the time gone?
George McPhee flashes a deft poker face often, not willing to share his plans for the Washington Capitals before he makes a big move. That could be the case this offseason, or the general manager could be calmly blunt about not wanting to spend a lot of money in free agency.
It was obvious from the outside and even more so to Mike Knuble that he wouldn't be back with the Washington Capitals next season. Perhaps it was clear when he was a healthy scratch in the middle of the season and leading up to the trade deadline, but the veteran right wing knew long before that.
The common refrain much of this season was that the Washington Capitals were too talented to play so inconsistently. Too talented to be in danger of missing the playoffs.
So it all comes down to 60 minutes for the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers — unless, of course, it all comes down to 114 minutes, 41 seconds, the way it did in Game 3. The big question is: Will the final score be 3-2 or 2-1? In this series, it seems like it's always one or the other.
It appeared as if the Washington Capitals were finished when they blew a chance to put the Boston Bruins away in six games. Their season seemed over when they lost to the New York Rangers in triple overtime in Game 3. And then again when they lost the lead with 7.6 seconds left in regulation in Game 5 and proceeded to fall in overtime.
Alex Ovechkin didn't want it to end like this. Not after the run the Washington Capitals went on, through the Boston Bruins and sticking with the New York Rangers goal-for-goal.
Unlike the morning after the Washington Capitals' 2-1 triple-overtime loss to the New York Rangers in Game 3, Brooks Laich didn't wake up Tuesday with the feeling that the season was over.
Playing one-goal games is life as usual for the Washington Capitals. That's playoff hockey, for the past few months. Trapping and trying to hold the lead, the Caps surrendered it with 6.6 seconds left.
