Less than two weeks after making some disingenuous remarks following a win over the Philadelphia Flyers, Alexander Ovechkin and his Washington Capitals were swept by the New York Rangers in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
That one is going to sting, isn’t it?
The Capitals ended the Flyers’ season on April 16, winning the game, 2-1, thanks to an empty-net goal from T.J. Oshie. The Flyers pulled Sam Ersson because they needed to win in regulation in order to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, so taking a 1-1 tie into overtime would have eliminated them all the same.
The Detroit Red Wings had gotten a point from their game against the Montreal Canadiens, so the Flyers were actually eliminated from playoff contention anyway. Detroit’s game-tying goal came within seconds of the Flyers pulling Ersson, but Ovechkin took a moment to make a wisecrack at the Flyers’ expense anyway.
“Detroit get a point and they still pull the goalie,” Ovechkin had said after the game. “They didn’t know that, but we’ll take it. Thanks, Philly.”
No doubt, the team with a minus-37 goal differential in the regular season would take a playoff berth on an empty-net goal. Ovechkin and the Capitals needed that one.
Not to mention, Ovechkin went goalless and pointless in a playoff series for the first time in his NHL career. This was also the first time in his NHL career Ovechkin was swept in the first round, and he went without a shot on goal in Game 1 and Game 4.
Ovechkin and the Capitals will take a first-round exit after getting swept by the Rangers, while the Flyers – likely to have put up a much better fight – will learn from their experiences this season and add to that with what is currently the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Thanks, Ovi.
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