STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS: ROUND 2 WRAP-UP: Washington Capitals show strides despite loss to New York Rangers

The Washington Capitals overcame adversity when it came to playoffs pairings this postseason. With Round 1′s matchup against the Boston Bruins, the Caps showed just how different of a team they were from Day 1 of the 2011-12 season. Members of the Washington Capitals react after losing Game 7 against the New York Rangers. Being able to knock off last year’s Stanley Cup champions is the epitome of change to come. And that change was the fact that the NHL would have a new Stanley Cup champion. So the test continued into Round 2: the No. 1 seed New York Rangers.  Seven games and seven hard-fought battles later their destiny was laid out. It wasn’t meant to be, just yet. It’s hard to flip a team in five years. It’s even harder to do so in two. But to scrap the plan that Bruce Boudreau laid for the team, hire a new bench boss in Dale Hunter, and to make a run for perfection is asking for a lot. And the Capitals delivered their all. It also appears they’ve found a new goalie ...