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Home , Alexander Semin, Al Iafrate, Al Jensen, Bob Mason, Braden Holtby, Brett Connolly

2018-19

Regular Record: 46-24-8, 100 points as of March 28 Clinched 29th all-time playoff appearance with 3-2 victory over Carolina

PLAYOFF QUICK HITS Playoff History All-Time Playoff Appearance: 29th Consecutive Playoff Appearances: 5 Most Recent Playoff Appearance: 2018 (FR: 4-2 W vs. CBJ; SR: 4-2 W vs. PIT; CF: 4-3 W vs. TBL; F: 4-1 W vs. VGK) All-Time Playoff Record: 132-143 in 275 GP (20-27 in 47 series)

Playoff Records Game 7s: 5-11 (3-8 at home, 2-3 on road) : 31-36 (13-16 at home, 8-20 on road) Facing Elimination: 21-27 (13-15 at home, 8-12 on road) With Chance to Clinch Series: 20-32 (8-18 at home, 12-14 on road)

Stanley Cup Final Final Appearances: 2 Stanley Cups: 1 (2018)

Links Stanley Cup Champions Playoff Skater Records All-Time Playoff Formats Playoff Records All-Time Playoff Standings Playoff Team Records

Washington Capitals: Year-by-Year Record ( at bottom) Washington Capitals: All-Time Record vs. Opponents (playoffs at bottom)

LOOKING AHEAD: 2019 Team Notes * The Capitals are looking to become only the fourth repeat Stanley Cup champion in the last 30 years (since 1989), a feat accomplished twice by the rival Penguins (1991, 1992 and 2016, 2017). The Red Wings (1997, 1998) are the only other club to do so in that span.

* The Capitals have advanced to at least the Second Round in four consecutive postseasons, the longest active streak in the NHL.

* A common playoff theme over the past three years has been a Capitals-Penguins series, with the two clubs meeting each postseason since 2016 and the winner going on to hoist the Stanley Cup each time. There have been 11 instances in NHL history of two teams meeting in at least four straight playoff years, including only six in the expansion era (since 1967-68): MTL-BOS (9), DAL-EDM (5), NYI-WSH (5), LAK- EDM (4), CHI-MNS (4) and NYR-NYI (4).

* Washington has played more Game 7s over the past 11 years than 15 active NHL franchises have played in their history. Since the start of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Capitals have played a seventh and deciding game in 11 of 19 series, the most in that span (WSH: 11x; BOS: 10x; PIT: 7x; NYR: 7x; DET: 7x; TBL: 6x; and ANA: 6x).

* Washington has contested at least one Game 7 in eight of its 10 postseason appearances, playing to the limit in the opening round six times since 2008.

* The Capitals have played Game 7 in six of their past 10 opening round series dating to 2008, winning three times (2009 vs. NYR, 2012 at BOS, 2015 vs. NYI) and losing three (2008 vs. PHI, 2010 vs. MTL, 2013 vs. NYR). Two others have played more than three opening-round Game 7s since 2008 (BOS: 5, NYR: 4).

* Washington has gone past regulation in each of its opening three games in each of the past two playoff years (2017 FR vs. TOR and 2018 FR vs. CBJ) – a first in NHL history.

* If the Capitals play past regulation in their first game of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, it would mark the ninth time in NHL history that a team has required overtime in their opening game over three consecutive playoff appearances. Washington accounts for one of the previous eight instances (2010, 2011, 2012).

* Washington, the first team in NHL history to play a combined nine overtime games in the opening round over two playoff years, has contested a total of 36 playoff overtime games since 2008. They are one of five teams to play at least 30 playoff overtime games in that span (CHI: 38, WSH: 36, BOS: 32, PIT: 31, SJS: 30).

* In 2018, the Capitals became the second team in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup despite trailing in all four playoff rounds (FR: 0-2 vs. CBJ; SR: 0-1 vs. PIT; CF: 2-3 vs. TBL; F: 0-1 vs. VGK). The 1991 Penguins also faced a series deficit in each round en route to winning the first of back-to-back Cups.

* The Capitals went 10-3 on the road during the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs to tie the NHL record for road victories by a team in a playoff year. They also became the third team to post four series-clinching victories on the road, joining the 2008 Red Wings and 2009 Penguins.

* Washington finished the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 29.3% power-play percentage, the fourth- highest by a team in a single postseason since the League officially began tracking the statistic in 1977- 78 (min. 60 opportunities). The only teams with a higher percentage: 1981 Islanders (37.8%, 31-for-82), 1982 Islanders (29.9%, 23-for-77) and 1994 Maple Leafs (29.7%, 22-for-74).

Player Notes * One of three captains from outside to lead his team to a Stanley Cup, Alex Ovechkin (Moscow, ) can become the first to captain multiple Cup winners. Nicklas Lidstrom (Vasteras, ) and Zdeno Chara (Trencin, Slovakia) are the only other non-North American players to captain a Cup winner, doing so in 2008 and 2011, respectively.

* Ovechkin led the NHL with a franchise-record 15 playoff goals in 2018, joining (15 in 2009) as the only players to score as many goals in a single postseason since 1997.

* Ovechkin is tied for 28th place in NHL history with 61 career playoff goals, with (72; t- 14th), Crosby (66; t-19th) and (62; t-26th) the only active players with more. The reigning winner ranks 13th in NHL history with 717 career goals, regular-season and playoffs combined.

* (12-20—32 in 24 GP) set the Capitals record for points in a single postseason in 2018 – leading all scorers with 1-7—8 in the Stanley Cup Final – and became the fourth active player to record 30 or more points in the playoffs.

* Kuznetsov, who set a franchise playoff record with an 11-game streak from May 3-28, 2018 (6- 10—16), is one of three Russian players to lead the NHL in postseason scoring during the League’s modern era (since 1943-44). The others: in 1995 with Detroit and Malkin in 2009 and 2017 with .

* Nicklas Backstrom (31-67—98 in 116 GP) sits two points shy of joining Ovechkin (61-56—117 in 121 GP) as the second player in franchise history to accumulate 100 career playoff points. In addition to Ovechkin, seven other active players have reached triple digits in playoff points: Crosby (185), Malkin (165), Marleau (125), Patrick Kane (123), Joe Thornton (123), Ryan Getzlaf (120) and Jonathan Toews (110).

* Backstrom, whose 67 postseason assists are the most in franchise history, has scored four career overtime goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. trailing (8), Maurice Richard (6), Patrick Kane (5) and Glenn Anderson (5) for the most in NHL history.

* In the Stanley Cup-clinching game in 2018, John Carlson (18-37—55 in 100 GP) surpassed (12-42—54 in 95 GP) as the all-time franchise playoff leader in points by a defenseman. Carlson also owns the franchise playoff record for goals by a blueliner (18) and ranks third in assists by a defenseman (37), behind (44) and Johansson (42). Carlson also holds the franchise records for assists and points by a blueliner in a single postseason.

* Ovechkin (121 GP), Backstrom (116 GP) and Carlson (100 GP) are three of five players to skate in at least 100 career playoff games for the Capitals – and Kelly Miller have 100 apiece.

* (2.04 GAA in 82 GP) is one of four with at least 80 career playoff games to maintain a goals-against average of 2.04 or better, trailing only Turk Broda (1.98 GAA in 101 GP), Dominik Hasek (2.02 GAA in 119 GP) and (2.02 GAA in 205 GP) on that list.

* Todd Reirden can become the fourth head coach in NHL history to join the reigning champions and win the Stanley Cup in his first year with the club. Jimmy Skinner (1955 Red Wings), Claude Ruel (1969 Canadiens) and Scott Bowman (1992 Penguins) are the only head coaches to achieve that feat.

IN REVIEW: 2018-19 REGULAR-SEASON Team Notes * After opening the campaign with a 7-0 win over the Bruins – scoring two goals in the first 1:47 of 2018- 19 – the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals aim to close the regular season by wrapping up their fourth consecutive division title. They would become the third reigning Cup champion to win its division since 2003-04 (Bruins in 2011-12 and Red Wings in 2008-09).

* The Capitals have won four straight division titles once before, claiming the No. 1 seed in the Southeast Division each year from 2007-08 to 2010-11. Since divisions were introduced in 1926-27, only one franchise has won at least four straight division titles on multiple occasions – the Bruins from 1927-28 to 1930-31 (4) and again from 1975-76 to 1978-79 (4).

* Washington hit the 100-point mark for the 12th time in franchise history, fifth consecutive season and eighth time in the past 11 campaigns. They are the 10th team in NHL history to hit the century mark in at least five straight seasons, with the Ducks (5; 2013-14 to 2017-18) that last team to do so. The only streaks longer than five seasons: Red Wings (12; 1999-00 to 2011-12), Canadiens (8; 1974-75 to 1981- 82) and Oilers (6; 1981-82 to 1986-87).

* The Capitals roster, which currently features 21 players from its Cup team, includes six 20- scorers in Ovechkin (49), T.J. Oshie (23), Jakub Vrana (23), (22), Brett Connolly (22) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (20). Nicklas Backstrom (19) can push that to seven 20-goal scorers, which would mark the sixth such campaign in franchise history. Wilson, Vrana and Connolly each hit the 20-goal mark for the first time.

Player Notes * Among his achievements so far this season, Alex Ovechkin became the second player in NHL history to start his career with 14 straight 30-goal seasons, then joined (12), (10) and Marcel Dionne (10) as the only players to hit 40 goals at least 10 times and now sits one goal shy of joining Gretzky and Mike Bossy as the only players with eight or more 50-goal campaigns.

* Chasing his League-record eighth career goal-scoring title, Ovechkin has climbed a trio of all-time NHL lists in 2018-19, moving from 19th place to 13th (tied) in goals (656), 10th to fifth (tied) in power-play goals (246) and eighth to seventh in game-winning goals (107).

* Ovechkin also passed Sergei Fedorov for the most career points by a Russian player on Feb. 5 and became the third active player to accumulate 1,200 career points, doing so on March 12 – six days after longtime rival Sidney Crosby hit the mark.

* Nicklas Backstrom became the 26th player in NHL history to record at least 50 assists in six or more consecutive seasons, joining Joe Thornton (7; 2002-03 to 2009-10) as the second active player to do so.

* John Carlson (90-310—400 in 685 GP) notched his 400th career regular-season point on March 26 to become the fifth Capitals defenseman to reach the milestone, following Calle Johansson (113-361—474 in 983 GP), Scott Stevens (98-331—429 in 601 GP), (149-277—426 in 685 GP) and (144-272—416 in 654 GP).

GAME-BY-GAME RECORD, BEST-OF-SEVEN SERIES Overall Record Home Record Road Record Game 1 24-19 (.558) 15-11 (.577) 9-8 (.529) Game 2 20-23 (.465) 12-13 (.480) 8-10 (.444) Game 3 16-27 (.372) 5-12 (.294) 11-15 (.423) Game 4 23-20 (.535) 11-7 (.611) 12-13 (.480) Game 5 18-22 (.450) 13-12 (.520) 5-10 (.333) Game 6 17-15 (.531) 5-5 (.500) 12-10 (.545) Game 7 5-11 (.313) 3-8 (.273) 2-3 (.400)

PLAYOFF SITUATIONS, BEST-OF-SEVEN SERIES Overall Series Record Starting at Home Starting on Road Lead 1-0 8-16 (.333) 5-10 (.333) 3-6 (.333) Lead 2-0 4-5 (.444) 3-3 (.500) 1-2 (.333) Lead 3-0 1-0 (1.000) 1-0 (1.000) —

Trail 1-0 10-9 (.526) 6-5 (.545) 4-4 (.500) Trail 2-0 2-6 (.250) 2-3 (.400) 0-3 (0.000) Trail 3-0 0-5 (0.000) 0-2 (0.000) 0-3 (0.000)

Tied 1-1 12-14 (.462) 6-9 (.400) 6-5 (.545) Tied 2-2 8-9 (.471) 4-6 (.400) 4-3 (.571) Tied 3-3 5-11 (.313) 3-8 (.273) 2-3 (.400)

Lead 2-1 9-11 (.450) 5-7 (.416) 4-4 (.500) Lead 3-1 8-5 (.615) 5-3 (.625) 3-2 (.600)

Trail 2-1 8-9 (.471) 5-6 (.455) 3-3 (.500) Trail 3-1 2-8 (.200) 2-5 (.286) 0-3 (0.000)

Lead 3-2 11-6 (.647) 7-4 (.636) 4-2 (.667)

Trail 3-2 3-12 (.200) 2-9 (.182) 1-3 (.250)

SERIES RECORD BY TYPE Series Record Total Series Best-of-7 18-25 43 Best-of-5 2-2 4 Best-of-3 — Total-Goals — — Overall 20-27 47

GAME 7 HISTORY Date Game Series vs. Result Goaltender GWG 5/23/2018 7 CF TBL 4-0 W Braden Holtby Alex Ovechkin 5/10/2017 7 R2 PIT 0-2 L Braden Holtby — 5/13/2015 7 R2 NYR 1-2 L OT Braden Holtby — 4/27/2015 7 R1 NYI 2-1 W Braden Holtby Evgeny Kuznetsov 5/13/2013 7 CQF NYR 0-5 L Braden Holtby — 5/12/2012 7 CSF NYR 1-2 L Braden Holtby — 4/25/2012 7 CQF BOS 2-1 W OT Braden Holtby Joel Ward 4/28/2010 7 CQF MTL 1-2 L — 5/13/2009 7 CSF PIT 2-6 L Semyon Varlamov — 4/28/2009 7 CQF NYR 2-1 W Semyon Varlamov Sergei Fedorov 4/22/2008 7 CQF PHI 2-3 L OT Cristobal Huet — 5/18/1995 7 CQF PIT 0-3 L — 5/1/1992 7 DSF PIT 1-3 L — 4/30/1988 7 DF NJD 2-3 L — 4/16/1988 7 DSF PHI 5-4 W OT Pete Peeters Dale Hunter 4/18/1987 7 DSF NYI 2-3 L 4OT — ^Home games in bold

WITH CHANCE TO CLINCH SERIES (ALL FORMATS) . . . 1/2 Date Game Series vs. Result Goaltender GWG 6/7/2018 5 SCF VGK 4-3 W Braden Holtby 5/23/2018 7 CF TBL 4-0 W Braden Holtby Alex Ovechkin 5/7/2018 6 R2 PIT 2-1 W OT Braden Holtby Evgeny Kuznetsov 4/23/2018 6 R1 CBJ 6-3 W Braden Holtby Devante Smith-Pelly 5/10/2017 7 R2 PIT 0-2 L Braden Holtby — 4/23/2017 6 R1 TOR 2-1 W OT Braden Holtby Marcus Johansson 4/24/2016 6 R1 PHI 1-0 W Braden Holtby Nicklas Backstrom 4/22/2016 5 R1 PHI 0-2 L Braden Holtby — 4/20/2016 4 R1 PHI 1-2 L Braden Holtby — 5/13/2015 7 R2 NYR 1-2 L OT Braden Holtby — 5/10/2015 6 R2 NYR 3-4 L Braden Holtby — 5/8/2015 5 R2 NYR 1-2 L OT Braden Holtby — 4/27/2015 7 R1 NYI 2-1 W Braden Holtby Evgeny Kuznetsov 4/25/2015 6 R1 NYI 1-3 L Braden Holtby — 5/13/2013 7 CQF NYR 0-5 L Braden Holtby — 5/12/2013 6 CQF NYR 0-1 L Braden Holtby — 5/12/2012 7 CSF NYR 1-2 L Braden Holtby — 4/25/2012 7 CQF BOS 2-1 W OT Braden Holtby Joel Ward 4/22/2012 6 CQF BOS 3-4 L OT Braden Holtby — 4/23/2011 5 CQF NYR 3-1 W Alex Ovechkin 4/28/2010 7 CQF MTL 1-2 L Semyon Varlamov — 4/26/2010 6 CQF MTL 1-4 L Semyon Varlamov — 4/23/2010 5 CQF MTL 1-2 L Semyon Varlamov — 5/13/2009 7 CSF PIT 2-6 L Semyon Varlamov — 4/28/2009 7 CQF NYR 2-1 W Semyon Varlamov Sergei Fedorov 4/22/2008 7 CQF PHI 2-3 L OT Cristobal Huet — 6/4/1998 6 CF BUF 3-2 W OT Olie Kolzig Joe Juneau 6/2/1998 5 CF BUF 1-2 L Olie Kolzig — 5/15/1998 5 CSF OTT 3-0 W Olie Kolzig Joe Juneau 5/3/1998 6 CQF BOS 3-2 W OT Olie Kolzig Brian Bellows 5/1/1998 5 CQF BOS 0-4 L Olie Kolzig — 5/18/1995 7 CQF PIT 0-3 L Jim Carey — 5/16/1995 6 CQF PIT 1-7 L Jim Carey — 5/14/1995 5 CQF PIT 5-6 L OT Jim Carey — 4/27/1994 6 CQF PIT 6-3 W Don Beaupre Calle Johansson 4/25/1994 5 CQF PIT 2-3 L — 5/1/1992 7 DSF PIT 1-3 L Don Beaupre — 4/29/1992 6 DSF PIT 4-6 L Don Beaupre — 4/27/1992 5 DSF PIT 2-5 L Don Beaupre — 4/13/1991 6 DSF NYR 4-2 W Don Beaupre Mike Ridley 4/27/1990 5 DF NYR 2-1 W OT John Druce 4/15/1990 6 DSF NJD 3-2 W Don Beaupre John Druce 4/30/1988 7 DF NJD 2-3 L Pete Peeters — 4/16/1988 7 DSF PHI 5-4 W OT Pete Peeters Dale Hunter 4/18/1987 7 DSF NYI 2-3 L 4OT Bob Mason — 4/16/1987 6 DSF NYI 4-5 L Bob Mason — 4/14/1987 5 DSF NYI 2-4 L Pete Peeters — 4/12/1986 3 DSF NYI 3-1 W Pete Peeters Scott Stevens 4/16/1985 5 DSF NYI 1-2 L —

WITH CHANCE TO CLINCH SERIES (ALL FORMATS) . . . 2/2 4/14/1985 4 DSF NYI 4-6 L — 4/13/1985 3 DSF NYI 1-2 L Al Jensen — 4/7/1984 3 DSF PHI 5-1 W Al Jensen Craig Laughlin ^Home games in bold

FACING ELIMINATION (ALL FORMATS) Date Game Series vs. Result Goaltender GWG 5/23/2018 7 CF TBL 4-0 W Braden Holtby Alex Ovechkin 5/21/2018 6 CF TBL 3-0 W Braden Holtby T.J. Oshie 5/10/2017 7 R2 PIT 0-2 L Braden Holtby — 5/8/2017 6 R2 PIT 5-2 W Braden Holtby Nicklas Backstrom 5/6/2017 5 R2 PIT 4-2 W Braden Holtby Evgeny Kuznetsov 5/10/2016 6 R2 PIT 3-4 L OT Braden Holtby — 5/7/2016 5 R2 PIT 3-1 W Braden Holtby T.J. Oshie 5/13/2015 7 R2 NYR 1-2 L OT Braden Holtby — 4/27/2015 7 R1 NYI 2-1 W Braden Holtby Evgeny Kuznetsov 5/13/2013 7 CQF NYR 0-5 L Braden Holtby — 5/12/2012 7 CSF NYR 1-2 L Braden Holtby — 5/9/2012 6 CSF NYR 2-1 W Braden Holtby Jason Chimera 4/25/2012 7 CQF BOS 2-1 W OT Braden Holtby Joel Ward 5/4/2011 4 CSF TBL 3-5 L Michal Neuvirth — 4/28/2010 7 CQF MTL 1-2 L Semyon Varlamov — 5/13/2009 7 CSF PIT 2-6 L Semyon Varlamov — 5/11/2009 6 CSF PIT 5-4 W OT Semyon Varlamov David Steckel 4/28/2009 7 CQF NYR 2-1 W Semyon Varlamov Sergei Fedorov 4/26/2009 6 CQF NYR 5-3 W Semyon Varlamov Viktor Kozlov 4/24/2009 5 CQF NYR 4-0 W Semyon Varlamov Matt Bradley 4/22/2008 7 CQF PHI 2-3 L OT Cristobal Huet — 4/21/2008 6 CQF PHI 4-2 W Cristobal Huet Alex Ovechkin 4/19/2008 5 CQF PHI 3-2 W Cristobal Huet Alexander Semin 4/20/2003 6 CQF TBL 1-2 L 3OT Olie Kolzig — 4/23/2001 6 CQF PIT 3-4 L OT Olie Kolzig — 4/21/2000 5 CQF PIT 1-2 L Olie Kolzig — 4/19/2000 4 CQF PIT 3-2 W Olie Kolzig Jeff Halpern 6/16/1998 4 SCF DET 1-4 L Olie Kolzig — 4/28/1996 6 CQF PIT 2-3 L Olie Kolzig — 5/18/1995 7 CQF PIT 0-3 L Jim Carey — 5/9/1994 5 CSF NYR 3-4 L Don Beaupre, — 5/7/1994 4 CSF NYR 4-2 W Don Beaupre Jason Woolley 4/28/1993 6 DSF NYI 3-5 L Don Beaupre — 4/26/1993 5 DSF NYI 6-4 W Don Beaupre 5/1/1992 7 DSF PIT 1-3 L Don Beaupre — 4/25/1991 5 DF PIT 1-4 L Don Beaupre — 5/9/1990 4 CF BOS 2-3 L Mike Liut — 4/13/1989 6 DSF PHI 3-4 L Pete Peeters — 4/30/1988 7 DF NJD 2-3 L Pete Peeters — 4/28/1988 6 DF NJD 7-2 W Pete Peeters Stephen Leach 4/16/1988 7 DSF PHI 5-4 W OT Pete Peeters Dale Hunter 4/14/1988 6 DSF PHI 7-2 W Pete Peeters Bengt-Ake Gustafsson 4/12/1988 5 DSF PHI 5-2 W Pete Peeters Kevin Hatcher 4/18/1987 7 DSF NYI 2-3 L 4OT Bob Mason — 4/27/1986 6 DF NYR 1-2 L Pete Peeters — 4/16/1985 5 DSF NYI 1-2 L Pat Riggin — 4/18/1984 5 DF NYI 3-5 L Al Jensen — 4/10/1983 4 DSF NYI 3-6 L Al Jensen — ^Home games in bold