STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF GUIDE - Washington Capitals - NHL.com

2010-11 Capitals Notes
Leading the way
The Capitals earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the second straight season for the first time in franchise history. In doing so, Washington also
captured their fourth consecutive Southeast Division title. That streak of division championships is tied with San Jose for the longest active streak in the NHL. It is
the longest streak in Capitals franchise history.
Century club
The Capitals finished the 2010-11 regular season with 107 points, tied for the third-highest total in franchise history. This marks the third straight season the Capitals
have reached the 100-point plateau. The only other time Washington has recorded three consecutive 100-point seasons was from 1983-84 through 1985-86.
All about Ovi
Alex Ovechkin became the sixth-youngest player to reach 300 goals (25 years, 200 days) and the seventh-quickest player to reach 300 goals in terms of games
played (473) when he tallied on Apr. 4 in Toronto. In addition, Ovechkin’s overtime tally on Apr. 2 versus Buffalo was his third overtime game-winner of the season
and the 10th of his NHL career. He has twice as many overtime game-winners as any other Capital; Peter Bondra and Kelly Miller each had five. Ovechkin’s goal
was his 30th of the season, marking the sixth consecutive season in which he has reached that plateau. The club record is nine straight 30-goal seasons, set by
Mike Gartner. Ovechkin also recorded his 50th assist of the season, marking the fourth time in six NHL seasons that he has achieved that milestone. Ovechkin is
one of only seven players to start their NHL careers with six-straight seasons of 80 points or more.
Perennial postseasons
With their 5-4, shootout win on Mar. 22 in Philadelphia, the Washington Capitals clinched their fourth straight playoff berth, marking the longest streak of playoff
appearances in franchise history since their 14-straight postseason trips from the 1982-83 season through 1995-96.
Over the hill
With 48 wins this season, the Capitals captured their fourth consecutive 40-win campaign. This is the first time in franchise history that Washington has won 40 or
more games in four straight seasons.
SRO
Washington closed out the regular season home schedule with a 25-8-8 record and the second best home winning percentage in the NHL (.707). The Capitals also
had the least amount of regulation losses at home and finished second, behind Vancouver (59), in points earned at home (58). Washington has finished ranked in
the top three in home record in each of the past three seasons, pacing the league with a 30-5-6 record last year and finishing third in 2008-09 (29-9-3). Their 84
wins at home in the last three seasons are tied with San Jose for most in the NHL during that span. For the second consecutive year, the Capitals sold out all of
their homes games and set a club record with 101 consecutive sellouts dating back to 2008-09 (including playoffs).
Road warriors
The Capitals, who went 23-15-3 on the road this season, have won at least 20 road games for four consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. The 23
road wins this season were the second-most in franchise history, just one behind last season’s total of 24. The Caps allowed 97 goals (2.37 p/g) on the road, which
was tied for second in the NHL. Washington went 17-7-2 in its last 26 road games and allowed just 52 goals in those 26 contests (2.00 per game). In 18 of their last
26 road games, the Caps allowed two or fewer goals a game.
Near the top
The Capitals were near the top of the league in several statistical categories:
Team, Goals Against: The Caps 2.33 goals-against per game was ranked fourth in the NHL. They allowed 197 goals, fourth-best in the league and the
third-least in franchise history
Team, Face Offs: Washington finished sixth in the league in faceoffs, winning 51.6% of their draws
Washington won 26 one-goal games this season, second in the NHL (Anaheim, 28).
Goaltender, Rookies: Michal Neuvirth finished third amongst rookie goaltenders in wins (27) and goals-against average (2.45)
Player, Shots: Alex Ovechkin became the first player in NHL history to lead the league in shots (367) six times (since the stat was first kept in 1967-68)
Killing fields
The Capitals finished the season tied for second in the league, killing off 85.6% of opponents’ power play. It was their fifth-best penalty killing percentage in franchise
history. Washington has led the NHL in penalty killing three times in their team history, most recently in 1997-98 when they finished with an 89.2% penalty kill
percentage.
In the record books
Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau’ recorded more wins (184) in his first 300 NHL games than any coach in the NHL history, passing Mike Keenan’s 183 victories.
In addition, Boudreau’s .679 career winning percentage is the best of any coach in history with at least 250 games of experience.
Marching on
Washington posted a record of 12-2-1 in March, the best month of March in franchise history. The Capitals fell one win and one point shy of the franchise marks
for one month in those categories. The Caps scored 43 goals (2.87 G/G), allowed 27 (1.80 GA/G) and killed off 50 of their 55 penalties (91%) during the month.
18
WASHINGTON CAPITALS 2011 PLAYOFF GUIDE