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Capitals react to Winnipeg's stunning Game 7 comeback victory over Blues, Game 2 tonight
The final game of Round 1 featured a thrilling overtime comeback by the Winnipeg Jets, eliminating the St. Louis Blues and sending them into an early offseason
The Washington Capitals had another night off on Sunday as the opening round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs wrapped up.
Capitals react to Winnipeg's miraculous Game 7 victory on Sunday.
With just 2.2 seconds left in regulation, Cole Perfetti netted the equalizer for the Jets, and Adam Lowry later sealed the win in double overtime, securing victory for the West's top seed.
Despite there being no stakes for his team, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery tuned in to watch the instant classic and went through the highs and lows vicariously from his home.
«Actually, it's worse watching other games, for me, than it is coaching in the moment on the bench. Because you just feel for the players and the staff. Even watching last night, you're just gutted for those two teams, and you're just like, 'Oh, no.' And someone has to lose. Same thing with Colorado-Dallas. This time of year, your whole season and everything that you work for is on the line, and one penalty call, one missed assignment, one shot at the net can decide eight months of hard work.» -Carbery
Alex Ovechkin also watched the Game 7 chaos unfold. He's no stranger to such pressure, having competed in 12 different seven-game playoff series, including each of the first four postseason matchups of his career.
«Yeah, I watched yesterday, Winnipeg. Crazy. Crazy, yeah. This is the playoffs. One mistake can cost you everything.» -Ovechkin
The Capitals and coach Carbery know just how tough the Hurricanes can be, having battled to a split in their tightly contested regular-season series. Both teams enter the second round well-rested after dispatching their first-round opponents in five games. Since their 2019 playoff victory over Washington, Carolina has gone through two grueling seven-game series.
«It's a high-pressure but high-reward as well - when you end up on the right side of some of those scenarios, there's no feeling like it this time of year, to win a series, win a game. But in the moment, once you're on the bench, the preparation - are there nerves? Are you anxious about what's to come? Maybe a little bit, but I get more wrapped up in the work of it. So it's a lot of, 'Okay, what do we need to do for practice? What's preparation look like? What are our needs? How can we help our players?' So a lot of it is focused on that." -Carbery
The Capitals and Hurricanes will kick off their second-round series with Game 1 on Tuesday night at Capital One Arena.
Game two between the Jets and the Stars is set for 9:30 PM Eastern time
Previously on Washington Hockey Insider
| POLL | ||
MAI 7 | 18 ANSWERS Capitals react to Winnipeg's stunning Game 7 comeback victory over Blues, Game 2 tonight Do you think that Round 1 Jets vs. Blues game was the best Game 7 in NHL history? | ||
| yes | 7 | 38.9 % |
| no | 11 | 61.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
