WASHINGTON — It wasn't the ending the Washington Capitals dreamt up for what's been a storybook 50th season, a Game 5 loss and second-round exit in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
But it's the one they got — and that was hard to process in the locker room after a season-ending 3-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"This team, not many people thought we were going to get this far at the beginning of the year. Obviously, we had big aspirations, and it's a tough way to go out," Dylan Strome said.
Washington was in it until the bitter end, tied 1-1 with 1:59 remaining in regulation, when a sharp-angle shot from Andrei Svechnikov somehow beat Logan Thompson. It stood as the game-winner, with D.C. unable to score as time ticked down and Seth Jarvis icing the series with a late empty-netter.
“It was a 3-on-2, I think, and it kicked out to my left. I just lost sight of it for a second," a visibly disappointed Logan Thompson explained. "There was kind of bodies coming in between and it’s my job to find the lane and get my eyes on it, and he sifted it through. It was a terrible goal to give up to end a season and I’ve got to wear that. I’m an adult. That’s on me, and I can be better.”
It's a helpless feeling, and as John Carlson said, "tough to swallow," as a memorable, historic year featuring Alex Ovechkin breaking the all-time goals record and the Capitals going from imposters to the top team in the Eastern Conference, ended with a dagger.
Play By Play: Capitals Come Up Short In Game 5 Loss To End Season
It's that time, folks. After a couple of days off, the Washington Capitals are set to host the Carolina Hurricanes for a Game 5 match up that will hopefully see the Capitals extend their season. It's <i>do or die </i>tonight for the Caps.
That said, there wasn't much for players to talk about, and for some, words felt like empty air.
"There's no other way to look at it when you lose," Carlson said matter-of-factly. "Everything aside, when you don't reach your goals, it's tough. It's tough to swallow. It's tough to think about. I think, obviously, we had higher hopes for this season. I think there's nothing else to say besides the sting and the pain of losing."
"It's too soon," Ovechkin said when asked if he can appreciate the year despite the early exit.
Despite the defeat, the camaraderie was alive and well in the room, with the team still proud of its effort.
"It truly is a really special group in here… True honor to play with this guys and battle with this group, and every given night you look around the room, you know that every guy was going to do what they could,” Wilson said. “It's a recipe for success. We just fell a little bit short at a tough time of the year."
"A lot of us in here, (it was the) first time winning a playoff round and something to build on," Strome added. "A lot of us are here for the future and for a while, so something to build on."