For the third season in a row, the Washington Capitals’ once promising Stanley Cup chances were dashed with another second-round exit.
The Capitals had the Pittsburgh Penguins right where they wanted them — at home in Game 7 after winning two straight elimination contests — but they couldn’t even muster a goal in a 2-0 loss at Verizon Center. With the win, the Penguins won the best-of-seven series 4-3 and moved on to the Eastern Conference finals to face the Ottawa Senators.
The Penguins’ first goal came off the stick of Bryan Rust at 11:11 in the second period.
The @Penguins were finally able to break the Game 7 deadlock. Will it be enough to propel them to the ECF?
Stream: https://t.co/T6US1LX5Jm pic.twitter.com/VVQnyhrzuR
— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) May 11, 2017
And with goals hard to come by, a soft strike from Patric Hornqvist past Braden Holtby in the third period only added insult to injury for the home squad.
Hornqvist, with the backhand, gives the @Penguins a 2-0 lead with 15 remaining in the 3rd #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/bfrzNxK1Cc
— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) May 11, 2017
This edition of Sidney Crosby vs. Alex Ovechkin goes to “Sid the Kid.”
Thumbnail photo via Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports Images
