Washington Capitals tickets have been a test of patience for hockey fans in the nation's capital, but that patience may be about to pay off. After finishing at 24-36-10-3, the Capitals management decided it was time to clean house. The lowly finish, and trades by the Capitals braintrust, brought in a load of young players with potential. The question is, can the fans who fill the seats at the MCI Center keep their patience long enough to live through the growing pains that inevitably accompany the building of a team from scratch?
The Washington Capitals came to Washington, D.C in 1974. It was bad timing on the part of Abe Poliun, who also owned the NBA's Washington Bullets. With the upstart WHA milking off the talent of the NHL, the Washington Capitals were devoid of good hockey players to say the least. The team that Abe built took off on the worst season in the history of the NHL, managing to post an 8-67-5 record and setting a string of dubious records like most losses and most consecutive losses, not hard to do when your team gives up an astonishing 446 goals in a single season and manages to win only a single game on the road.
After years of struggle, the Washington Capitals finally managed to make the NHL Playoffs in 1983 after landing Rod Langway in a multi-player trade with the Montreal Canadiens. The personnel moves resulted in the Capitals ending the season at 39-25-16 and the franchises first playoff spot. True to form for the unlucky Capitals though, their first round opponent turned out to be the New York Islanders, who promptly knocked off Washington in a sweep and proceeded to go win the Stanley Cup for the fourth straight year.
The playoff breakthrough did mark a period of prosperity for Washington though, as the Capitals began a string of appearance in the NHL Playoffs that ran from 1983 to 1996. Along the way the Capitals won a division title in 1989 and went to the NHL Conference Finals in 1990. 1998 saw Washington break through to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Washington Capitals 1997-98 season began with a new head coach in Ron Wilson and a new arena in the MCI Center. Behind goalie Olaf Kolzig, the Washington Capitals ran off a 40-32-12 season and headed for the NHL Playoffs where they met the Boston Bruins in the first round. After taking a six game series win over the Bruins, the Capitals teed off on the Ottawa Senators, who they knocked out after only five games to advance to the NHL Eastern Conference Finals. Running out to a 3-1 lead in the Finals, Capitals fans watched the Buffalo Sabres capture Game 5 and then threaten to even the series by forcing overtime in Game 6. But the Capitals' Joe Juneau finished things off and Washington headed for the Stanley Cup Finals against the Detroit Red Wings. Disappointingly, after a dream season, the Capitals collapsed in the Finals and were swept by the Wings in only four games.
Washington Capitals tickets will give NHL fans some exciting young players to see in the new season. Heading the list is Alexander Ovechkin, the top pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Ovechkin was a hands down choice, displaying his talents in the World Cup and as a member of Russia's Dynamo. The young left wing alone should be worth the price of Washington Capitals tickets, along with the chance to see the building of an NHL contender. |
