New York Rangers vs Washington Capitals live stream on April 23, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET
Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia
Preview
Game 5 was when it started to fall apart for the Washington Capitals last year. They came out sleepwalking and were down 2-0 before the first period was 10 minutes old, the start of another spectacular playoff collapse to add to a dubious franchise legacy.
Unable to finish off an against-the-ropes opponent, the Capitals went on to blow a 3-1 series lead to the Montreal Canadiens and were eliminated after the first round of the playoffs. Settling things early is a recurrent problem in the nation's capital -- Washington hasn't won a series in fewer than seven games since 1998.
"We know all too well," forward Eric Fehr said Friday, "how difficult it is to get that last win."
It's a history that permeates the locker room, even as coach and players emphasize that every year's team is different and isn't beholden to the failures of the past. Headed into Saturday's first round Game 5 against the New York Rangers -- again as a top seed with a 3-1 series lead -- the Capitals tread the line between wanting to forget last year's disaster and the need to learn from it.
Unable to finish off an against-the-ropes opponent, the Capitals went on to blow a 3-1 series lead to the Montreal Canadiens and were eliminated after the first round of the playoffs. Settling things early is a recurrent problem in the nation's capital -- Washington hasn't won a series in fewer than seven games since 1998.
"We know all too well," forward Eric Fehr said Friday, "how difficult it is to get that last win."
It's a history that permeates the locker room, even as coach and players emphasize that every year's team is different and isn't beholden to the failures of the past. Headed into Saturday's first round Game 5 against the New York Rangers -- again as a top seed with a 3-1 series lead -- the Capitals tread the line between wanting to forget last year's disaster and the need to learn from it.
Watch New York Rangers vs Washington Capitals Live Free Stream Online April 23, 2011 Game 5
