Capitals Eliminated by Canadiens in Game 7 by 2-1 Score

The number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference of the NHL playoffs has now been eliminated, as the number 8 seed Montreal Canadiens defeated the Washington Capitals by a score of 2-1 in game 7 of their first round series. It marks the first time in NHL playoffs history that the number 8 seed has come back from a 3-1 series deficit to win their series against the number 1 seed of the conference.

The Capitals were widely viewed as the best and most dominant team all throughout the season, and had won the Presidents' Trophy as the team with the best record and most points in the NHL. However, those 54 regular season wins and 121 regular season points don't count for anything now, as the number 1 seed now gets to watch the remainder of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on TV with the rest of us.

It marks the second straight season in the NHL in which the Presidents' Trophy winner and number 1 overall seed was sent home. Last season, the San Jose Sharks were shocked by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the playoffs. This season the Capitals were widely viewed as the favorite to win the Stanley Cup.

In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the 8 seed toppling the 1 seed isn't as uncommon as it is in other sports. Since the NHL switched to its current playoffs format in 1994, the 1 seed has lost to the 8 seed in the opening round nine times in 32 chances, including the Canadiens win over the Capitals. That's a 28% ratio, which is amazingly high and demonstrates how much momentum and hot play at the right time can mean everything in the NHL.

Particularly, it's hot play by a goalie that can turn any trip through the Stanley Cup Playoffs into a wild roller coaster ride. For the Canadiens, they rode previously unheralded goalie Jaroslav Halak to the huge upset win. The 24 year old turned away 41 shots out of 42 attempts, enabling the Canadiens to win despite putting up only 16 of their own shots.

In the previous two games, Halak shut out the Capitals on both occasions, stymieing the most potent offensive unit in the league. For the final 9 periods of the series, the Capitals were only able to muster 1 goal, and that came in the final moments of the game 7 defeat.

Marc-Andre Bergeron scored the first goal of the game at 19:30 of the first period, by way of the power play. The score remained at 1-0 until 16:24 of the third, when Dominic Moore widened the advantage to 2-0. The Capitals answered back immediately on a goal by Brooks Laich at 17:44. They then went on the power play with just 1:44 left in the game, but despite several close attempts were unable to get the tying notch.

It marks another early exit from the playoffs for Alex Ovechkin, widely viewed as the most dynamic player in the league but now severely lagging behind rival Sidney Crosby in terms of accomplishment when it matters most. It's a particularly stinging defeat considering the strength of the Capitals this season, and the expectations that the team and city had.

Sources:

www.nhl.com; CSN Broadcast of Capitals-Canadiens Game 7