WASHINGTON — A year ago, the Washington Capitals were strangers in their own building, limping to another seasons end without a playoff berth. And for the finale, Verizon Center became Buffalo South. The Sabres came to town, and their fans made up more than half of the 18,277 in attendance.
The Capitals fans were drowned out.
Their superstar player, Alex Ovechkin, was booed on home ice every time he touched the puck.
It was embarrassing but expected. When winning teams like Buffalo or Pittsburgh visited during the past four years, they had the advantage.
Fast forward to last night in Chinatown.
The arena was full — but this time with Capitals fans that formed a sea of red for the third game in five nights. Ovechkin was cheered when he had the puck. And the Capitals continued their near-miraculous late-season resurgence with a 3-1 victory over the Florida Panthers to clinch the Southeast Division title and their first playoff berth in five years.
Carolinas loss Friday night to Florida guaranteed the Capitals the Southeast Division if they won last night or lost in overtime or a shootout. A regulation loss would have ended Washingtons season.
But as theyve done every time since March 21, the Capitals won.
Veteran center Sergei Fedorov, acquired at the trade deadline this season, scored the game-winner with 4 minutes, 57 seconds remaining in the second period when he received a cross-ice, back-hand pass from Alexander Semin and blasted a slap shot past Florida goalie Craig Anderson to break a 1-1 tie.
Semin added insurance early in the third period with a power-play marker to make it 3-1. Ovechkin jumped into his arms and the quintet of Semin, Ovechkin, Fedorov, Green and Nicklas Backstrom formed a celebratory pile along the boards.
Goalie Cristobal Huet turned away 25 shots for the Capitals (43-31-8).
The Capitals will go for their first Stanley Cup playoff series victory in 10 years when they host Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals later this week. As the No. 3 seed, the Caps will face the sixth seed — Philadelphia or Ottawa.
A franchise that managed just 70 points last season (third-fewest in the league) ended this regular season with 94 points.
Washington finished the regular season on an 11-1-0 streak — and it needed each of those victories.
Ive been a nervous wreck for two months now, Boudreau said two hours before faceoff. I dont know why today should be any different. We said this morning, Nothing has changed — we had to win out to have some success. So whether Carolina won and Boston and Ottawa went into overtime, or Philly lost, we still had to win tonight to give ourselves a chance.
Now the Capitals have that chance.
A division title and playoff berth seemed unlikely Thanksgiving morning when the Capitals sat in last place in the 30-team NHL (6-14-1). That morning, the team fired coach Glen Hanlon and summoned career minor league coach Boudreau from Hershey, Pa.
Nine years ago, Boudreau was coaching something called the Mississippi Sea Wolves. In his American Hockey League career, he won 340 games. After joining the Caps, he steered them for months with the title interim head coach.
Things didnt immediately turn around: The Capitals didnt reach .500 until Jan. 21. But players bought into Boudreaus aggressive style of play.
A four-game winning streak in mid-January made the Capitals relevant again. Attendance steadily rose — and not just because opposing teams were being well-represented.
Having Ovechkin didnt hurt. The MVP candidate entered last night leading the NHL in goals (65) and points (112). Having Mike Green didnt hurt, either. The young rearguard came into his own offensively, scoring 18 goals, tops among all defensemen. And having rookie Nicklas Backstrom become Ovechkins pivot was a nice touch. The Swedish center is a Rookie of the Year candidate.
The crowd cheered Ovechkin and Green and Backstrom and, well, everything: When the Capitals came out for warmups at 6:29 p.m.; when the lights went dark at 7:02 and members of the Frederick Fury youth hockey team took the ice holding Capitals flags; and when the starting lineup of Mike Green, Jeff Schultz, Semin, Matt Cooke, Fedorov and Huet was announced at 7:05.
We told everybody we were going to rebuild and its going to feel really good when we get there, said Capitals owner Ted Leonsis, who oversaw a massive rebuilding job with the franchise since the lockout that ended the 2004-05 season. The people have bought in. I really believe were going to be in the playoffs for a long, long time.
The Capitals entered win-and-get-in mode Friday night when Carolina — the division leader for months — lost at home to Florida for the first time in 13 games.
It feels disgusting, Carolina left wing Ray Whitney said. We just needed to win two of our last four, and we go 1-3. Weve got to hope [the Panthers] do the same job tomorrow night. I doubt they will. Washingtons taking care of business like it means something.
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