1998 Washington Capitals

[Cursed Lemon]

Had you guys really never seen that blown goal before?

I figured everyone in here would've had "ESA TIKKANEN BLEW IT" burned into their minds.

 

[Sens Rule]

Mostly by managing to play the 5th, 6th, and 8th seeded teams. Boston, Ottawa, and Buffalo were not really good that year.

I remember that Ottawa-Washington series. I was always seeing this defenceman Gonchar making huge plays, defensively and offensively. He was definitely becoming an elite game changing D... And I didn't really know much about him, besides him scoring more goals then assists as a young D. To me he was the Caps best player that series and perhaps in the whole playoffs. I kept thinking... "Who the heck is this Gonchar guy?!"

 

[Ace36758]

When I looked at their roster, I was amazed to find the 97-98 Capitals had only one player that scored 20 goals (Peter Bondra with 52). Their second leading goal scorer was Adam Oates with "only" 18 goals. They weren't a totally strong team on either offense (13th in goals for) or defense (10th in goals against).

But the big question is, how did the Caps make the finals that year with a mediocre supporting cast around Bondra, Oates, and Olaf Kolzig?

Source: http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/WSH/1998.html

This is an interesting tidbit-not to derail the thread, but does anyone know what the largest margin in NHL history is? Was it Bure in 2000-2001 (59 goals to second place 14?)

 

[Ace36758]

Edit-I see Hull was 86 to 27 in 1991.

 

[BobRouse]

Caps never even make it to the finals without Tikkanen who was a crucial shutdown player during those playoffs.

He would follow Alexi Yashin to restaurants even and annoy him throughout for example.

Reasons stated above cover why they made it.

They had no business winning the Boston series. Kolzig and Gonchar were fantastic and Byron Dafoe was pretty bad. The toe in the crease by Tim Taylor was indeed a joke but the right call based on the absurd rule.

McKenzie picked against the Caps in every single series as did many others. It wasn't just the Detroit final that everyone expected them to lose.

In one game vs Ottawa they were outshot 40-10 and I believe they still won.

Lots of things broke right for them. Even in game 2 vs Detroit they built the lead (4-2) in part due to a bad two line pass/offside missed call that Bondra scored on. Osgood basically gave up on the play as he thought it (rightfully) should have been called.

A couple occasions vs the Sabres they got lucky too. I believe Krygier scored an OT goal that should have been offsides. Also there was a goal bondra scored where he probably interfered with Hasek and then Hasek threw his blocker at Bondra (I'm pretty sure it was how it played out)

For once, and the ONLY time, in their history the stars aligned for the Caps and it just had to be with a pretty average team.

 

[Big Phil]

I have always wondered how that series would have turned out had Wesley scored that goal. Would Edmonton have only gone on to win the series in six games? Would the Bruins have found a way to outlast the Oilers?

The thing I've always wondered about that play is would it have been a goal? A Bruin and Oiler (Huddy?) collide and slide into the crease which upended Ranford which explains why he is so far out of position. That would have been contested either way.

Wow, Tikkanen played on that team? I had no idea really. And what a crazy miss.

Ironically enough Bondra was kinda meh in those playoffs. Not necessarily bad, but the Caps rode on Kölzig, Gonchar, Oates & Juneau, and on teamwork, intangibles, defense and scoring-by-committee. Both Nikolishin and Bellows had more points than Bondra those playoffs.

Bondra had an overtime goal against Hasek in the semis but other than that, yeah, sort of reminded me of Kariya in 2003. You figure the one time he gets that far he might run with it.

Yeah that Caps team wasn't great but had plenty of "character" guys that were getting older. Tikannen, Hunter, Bellows, Tinordi, etc.

Had you guys really never seen that blown goal before?

I figured everyone in here would've had "ESA TIKKANEN BLEW IT" burned into their minds.

In reality it actually was pretty important. That goal is scored the the series is almost certainly going to be tied 1-1. No one remembers it because the series ended up being a sweep.

Caps never even make it to the finals without Tikkanen who was a crucial shutdown player during those playoffs.

He would follow Alexi Yashin to restaurants even and annoy him throughout for example.

Reasons stated above cover why they made it.

They had no business winning the Boston series. Kolzig and Gonchar were fantastic and Byron Dafoe was pretty bad. The toe in the crease by Tim Taylor was indeed a joke but the right call based on the absurd rule.

McKenzie picked against the Caps in every single series as did many others. It wasn't just the Detroit final that everyone expected them to lose.

In one game vs Ottawa they were outshot 40-10 and I believe they still won.

Lots of things broke right for them. Even in game 2 vs Detroit they built the lead (4-2) in part due to a bad two line pass/offside missed call that Bondra scored on. Osgood basically gave up on the play as he thought it (rightfully) should have been called.

A couple occasions vs the Sabres they got lucky too. I believe Krygier scored an OT goal that should have been offsides. Also there was a goal bondra scored where he probably interfered with Hasek and then Hasek threw his blocker at Bondra (I'm pretty sure it was how it played out)

For once, and the ONLY time, in their history the stars aligned for the Caps and it just had to be with a pretty average team.

Yes, that was against Buffalo. It was a bad non-call. Should have been an icing. I think it was Jason Woolley who just sort of hesitated after touching the puck assuming it was icing. Hasek was going to play it but didn't. Lots of confusion. Even prior to that there was a horrific overtime goal from inside the blueline by Bellows. No way Dafoe should have let that one in.

 

[McRpro]

I took a flyer on Bellows with my last pick in a 30 person playoff pool I joined that year. His points got me 3rd place and a $60 prize. :smile:

 

[quoipourquoi]

Had you guys really never seen that blown goal before?

I figured everyone in here would've had "ESA TIKKANEN BLEW IT" burned into their minds.

Definitely one of my biggest memories of the series, but I do watch Return to Hockeytown a lot.

 

[Voight]

Kolzig played out of his mind that year, followed it up with a Vezina in 1999.

East was pretty bad from 1995-2004., minus the Devils & later the Lightning.

 

[Super Fadio Bro]

Kolzig played out of his mind that year, followed it up with a Vezina in 1999.

East was pretty bad from 1995-2004., minus the Devils & later the Lightning.

Kolzig won it in 2000.

 

[Big Phil]

The ironic thing about Game 2 of that series is that it had a high tempo game the entire way through. There was still the silly crease rule in 1998 for another year, but that game stood out because it was a 5-4 thriller in overtime and featured a big gaffe. None of the other games that series were like that and come to think of it not much else in 1998. It wasn't a great playoff year to be honest. But that game stood out and you wish hockey was always like that.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

That game 2 was one of the more exciting Finals games I remember. Additionally, game 3 went right down to the wire as well with Fedorov winning it late in the 3rd.

 

[EpochLink]

Of all the Capitals teams, even during the Ovechkin era...THIS team made it to the Finals.

But it was more the vets doing the work that playoffs than anything, especially Bellows and Tikkanen.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

During that time period, it was pretty common for a Cinderella team to win the East, largely riding hot or great goaltending, then get stomped in the finals. 1998 Caps fit right in with the 1996 Panthers, 1999 Sabres, and 2002 Hurricanes. (1999 Sabres actually made a decent showing in the finals).

All things considered I think the Canes did as well as they could. 5 games but they were all competitive if I remember correctly against one of the greatest teams ever assembled.

 

[Voight]

Kolzig won it in 2000.

Yes my bad.

Side note, he was 5th in 1998, but then for whatever reason regressed in 1999 and went 26-31-3 .900SV% 2.58 GAA.

All things considered I think the Canes did as well as they could. 5 games but they were all competitive if I remember correctly against one of the greatest teams ever assembled.

Yea, plus IIRC they were "in" every game. As opposed to say,the Sens in 20007 who were outplayed basically every game.

 

[agentblack]

With all due respect to Wings (stink eye glance) and Caps fans ...
98 was a terrible year
All those upsets
Lame Final
plus Kariya got killed that year too.

98 and 03...just wack as all get out.

 

[Ishdul]

With all due respect to Wings (stink eye glance) and Caps fans ...
98 was a terrible year
All those upsets
Lame Final
plus Kariya got killed that year too.

98 and 03...just wack as all get out.

Only one 7 game series, too.

 

[agentblack]

Only one 7 game series, too.

 

[Super Fadio Bro]

Only one 7 game series, too.

A 4-0 win by the road team.

 

[tony d]

Brian Bellows actually called out Peter Bondra in the Finals, saying that "certain star players aren't delivering" or something like that. Funny, given that he wasn't on the team most the year, playing in Germany, then signed specifically for playoffs.

Another funny anecdote that that was the season of Fedorov's holdout, during which he was rumored to be traded to the Capitals for Bondra and Gonchar. Fortunately that never happened... Well, until 2007 that is

Never heard that rumor, that would have been interesting. ? then becomes in 1999 does Detroit go for Chelios if they have both Lidstrom or Gonchar on the team. Do they win the 1998 Cup without Fedorov?

 

[HisIceness]

Even though it was a sweep it seems to me that Washington actually gave a better effort than Philadelphia did the year before. I don't know how others feel about that but games 2 and 3 were close with Game 2 going to OT. Game 1 was a 2-1 Wings victory.

Of all the Capitals teams, even during the Ovechkin era...THIS team made it to the Finals.

But it was more the vets doing the work that playoffs than anything, especially Bellows and Tikkanen.

It is pretty incredible when you think about it and now considering Ovechkin has been in the league for 10 years now. I remember reading on these boards some time ago that Capitals fans who jumped on the bandwagon that year no longer felt bad about doing so since Ovechkin began breathing life back into that team.

All things considered I think the Canes did as well as they could. 5 games but they were all competitive if I remember correctly against one of the greatest teams ever assembled.

Game 3, up by 1 with 2 minutes left, then Brett Hull

Games 4 and 5 they tried but you could tell they were exhausted from losing in 3 overtimes.

Was still a fun run for us as fans.