The four remaining teams finished second (Winnipeg), third (Tampa Bay), fifth (Vegas) and tied for sixth (Washington) in the league standings for the regular season. Goal differentials were +59, +60, +44 and +20 respectively. I always find it interesting to see who makes it to the end.
I feel badly for the Caps and their fans. Vasilevskiy stole the last two games. Here’s to the Caps coming back even stronger tomorrow night.
Will Vegas end it this afternoon?
Very happy for Las Vegas!
I’m rooting for Las Vegas Golden Knights!! So excited for this team - made from spare parts. 
I still want the Caps to win it all, but I’ll admit to a back part of my brain cheering for Vegas, just to prove how badly the NHL bungled (in the direction of generosity) the expansion draft this time through.
Fingers crossed for your Caps tonight, @dfbdfb. I think a Caps/Knights final would be exciting. The Knights crazy season continues and I agree with you about the way they handled the expansion draft, unlike anything previously done. This is not a team made from typical spare parts.
Yes!!! The Caps forces a game 7.
Hockey nerd note: So this means that, for the first three rounds at least, this Stanley Cup gets one and exactly one game 7 per round.
Now I have to try to find out if there’s ever been a 4-round playoffs with one game 7 per round. My guess is no, but we’ll see…
Glad the Caps are still in it!
Go Caps!
Answering my own question above: I looked back through the 7-game series era (i.e., since 1987), and found that there have, first of all, been precisely zero years in which there has been one and exactly one game 7 in each round. (Intriguingly, there have been a very few years with only one 7-game series in the entire playoffs, but none with no game 7s.)
The closest we’ve come is 2006 (single game 7s in rounds 1, 3, and 4), plus a couple years with one game 7 in every round except for two or three in the first round.
Go Caps!!! Hope the Caps bring the same intensity tomorrow night. Went to Kettler for practice last Thurs. and took lots of pics. Figured it was the only way I could afford to see them at this time of year. They were giving away yard signs. Don’t be the idiot who steals it from my yard!!! Saw Ovi after practice as he was getting into his car. NICE vehicle…
Vegas was my Western Conference pick. This could get interesting!
There is a free Caps viewing party at CapOne tomorrow night. If I weren’t in so much @#$& pain, I’d totally be there. (Fell over the weekend and messed up my bum knee and broke a vertebra.) G-d willing, I’ll go to the next one in a week or two!
@CountingDown I’m sorry to hear about your fall. I hope you feel better soon. I also hope that a Game 7 win tomorrow night helps with the pain!
Yes @CountingDown , sorry about your fall. Hope your recovery goes well! I am hoping for a Las Vegas- Caps final. I’m conflicted though if that happens . I like Las Vegas to win it but I have been to DC many times and one of my sons lives there. Good luck to the Caps tomorrow (hard to say that as a die-hard Penguins fan!).
Oh no, CD! Hope you are on the mend, and Vegas gets creamed. B-)
What a crazy game so far. A jersey being pulled off, a fist fight right out of the penalty box ! Let’s Go Caps!
Couldn’t bring myself to watch the game, but soooo happy the Caps pulled it off. I’ll force myself to watch the finals, against Vegas. It’s about time Ovechkin gets to try his hand at earning a Stanley Cup.
So happy! Go Caps!
YES!!! # ALL CAPS to the FINALS!!
I’m amazed!!!