The Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins faced each other last season in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Penguins won the series 4-2, with three games going into overtime. The Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup, leaving the Capitals without a Stanley Cup win once again.
Former Terrier teammates Nick Bonino and Kevin Shattenkirk will play against each other throughout this playoff series.
It was possibly the first year the Capitals had a legitimate chance at the Cup, but they choked against Pittsburgh when it mattered most.
The first round of the playoffs came and went. With teams like the Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota Wild and Boston Bruins were quickly eliminated and now it’s time for the second round.
Washington and Pittsburgh are facing each other again, and the series is set to be one of the most exciting of the year.
Here are a few matchups to follow closely.
Alexander Ovechkin vs. Sidney Crosby
These two captains are arguably the two best players left in the playoffs. Ovechkin and Crosby have both been fighting for the Art Ross Trophy since they entered.
Second in Command: Nicklas Bäckström vs. Evgeni Malkin
Bäckström was selected fourth overall in 2006, the year after both the Sidney Crosby sweepstakes and the NHL lockout. Malkin was selected second overall in 2004, right behind Ovechkin. Both Bäckström and Malkin are centermen, and they have each positively impacted their respective teams this season.
Bäckström has the Capitals record for most assists in a career and as long as he skates beside Ovechkin, that record should stay intact.
Malkin won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2007, the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2009, the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2012 and the Art Ross Trophy in 2009 and 2012.
Braden Holtby vs. Marc-Andre Fleury
Holtby has been a strong part of the Washington system for multiple seasons. The Penguins can attribute their success last season to many people on the team but Fleury is not one of them. He struggled a bit during the regular season before suffering a concussion going into the playoffs.
22-year-old Matt Murray stepped up and helped bring the Stanley Cup back to Pittsburgh. Fleury was able to rest much longer than the rest of his team, and he came back this season ready to prove himself.
Fleury contributed significantly to the Penguins victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was a defensive force in the 4-1 series win.
Both teams are pretty good on offense. Yes, they each have excellent goalies, but both teams are known for their scoring dominance. This series will truly show who the better goalie is.
Barry Trotz vs. Mike Sullivan
Trotz and Sullivan are relatively new additions to their teams. Trotz joined Washington in 2014 and Sullivan took over in Pittsburgh during the 2015-2016 season.
Prior to Washington, Trotz was head coach of the Nashville Predators for 15 years. Trotz fits very well into the Capitals organization because of the way he has created a strong system on the ice.
Before Trotz, all the Capitals had was Ovechkin. But under his oversight, Washington has acquired players like T.J. Oshie, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Tom Wilson and Justin Williams to mold together a contender.
Trotz has over 700 wins in his coaching career, a feat only five other coaches have conquered. However, it’s remarkable that Sullivan was able to take the Penguins to a Stanley Cup victory after only being with the team for such a short time.
Crosby is a huge superstar and any coach entering the Pittsburgh organization would have had a huge task at hand. Sullivan managed his new team with grace, proving how good of a coach he is.
Sullivan was able to continue Pittsburgh’s success into the 2016-2017 season. The reigning champs are in a good position to go all the way again, but Washington has a good chance of stopping them in their tracks.
Prediction: Washington takes the series
If the first round is any indicator, the Capitals will be victorious.
The Columbus Blue Jackets were on pace to become a force in the NHL two years ago, but they have struggled to gain traction, especially in the playoffs. They really didn’t have a chance against the Penguins in the first round.
Maybe they were saving their energy for the rest of the playoffs, but the Capitals are not going to go down without a fight.
Washington had an exciting first round, with intense battles against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Auston Matthews and company put up a good fight, but ultimately Washington won a 4-2 series. The Leafs don’t have the playoff experience that the Capitals have, and ultimately it came down to Washington playing a better game.
The Capitals are known for choking in the playoffs, but there was none of that in the first round. They have a great chance of eliminating the reigning Stanley Cup champions.
No matter the result, this matchup will be the highlight of the second round.
Dear Jess, your column was written at 1:14 AM. Did you not watch the game? It doesn’t seem like it.