Penguins knock out Caps in OT in Game 6

a blog by Iron Horse

The Capitals have found a way once again with one of the better teams I've seen in the last few years to bounce themselves out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

I will admit that this postseason I had the Capitals making the Stanley Cup Final and I've got no shame in saying that. They had the Vezina winning goalie in Braden Holtby, the stud defensive core led by Niskanen and Carlson. Obviously they had the offensive weapons, probably the most consistent piece of this team the since Ovechkin and Backstrom became a tandem there. 

The reason I say in the prelude that the Capitals have "bounced themselves" is because by now they've had their chances to prove me wrong. Something has to change in this groups make up. This is the most stacked roster other than some of the Chicago Blackhawks teams I've seen in the playoffs the last 10 years. The top line did it for this team in the series, Oshie, Backstrom and Ovechkin played extremely well but the Penguins in the end were the better team. Handling the Presidents Trophy winning Capitals in the same amount of games it took for them to knock out the Flyers in the first round. 

As I've seen all over the twitterverse from hockey fans and analysts alike, the hardest thing that will be in the Capitals abruptly long off season will be accepting the fact that they can't get much better. This was their year to win, there's 0 chance this team goes out and makes a move that makes them a better team, so that's got to be the frustrating part if you are a Capitals fan. 

Your 2015-2016 Washington Capitals pic.twitter.com/Dvhay0dFu0

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) May 11, 2016

For a brief moment last night I started to see the comparisons come out from the Boston Bruins of 2013, who in Game 7 against Toronto made a historic 3 Goal comeback in the final period to win the game in OT. But alas the Capitals did not have the last bit of magic in their playoff hopes to complete the historic comeback we all witnessed 3 short years ago. 

3 goal lead blown in the playoffs.. This is déjà vu for Kessel □ pic.twitter.com/0tWwciutPL

— The Hockey Gods! (@HockeyGods) May 11, 2016

The Capitals will look to dash their playoff woes next season with a similar looking cast but it has to bite knowing they were bounced by a team they consider rivals to them, with a 21 year old in net for the Penguins.