May 14, 2012
By Ceci Ferrara
Sports writer
Sports Insider
The Capitals’ Game 7 playoff loss was felt all the way from New York, with fans refusing to discuss the game as they filed out of D.C. bars on Saturday night. The joy that had filled the streets around the Verizon Center last Wednesday had turned to bitter disappointment as reality hit home; once again the Caps finished the season empty handed. Once again they were ousted in the second round, and it will be another year, another season, before they get the chance to fight for the Stanley Cup.
On Monday, just a couple days later, the Caps were dealt another blow when Dale Hunter, who took over as head coach in November, announced he was stepping down. Hunter will return to London and the junior hockey league he owns there. “I’m going back to the farm, the team and family,” Hunter told reporters, adding that he had no plans to return to the NHL. While it may have come as a shock to the public, Caps general manager George McPhee insisted that it wasn’t unexpected: “I’ve always talked to Dale over the years about coaching this club. We knew that he may not be able to go beyond this year. He did a great job of coming in and helping us out.”
And truthfully, he did. As much as it hurts, the Capitals still have a lot to be proud of. A couple of weeks before the end of the season, it was unsure if they would even be in the playoffs. But instead of giving up, they rallied to become the final seed in the bracket. They then beat the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the first round to advance to the conference semi-finals. And while they may have failed to advance, they didn’t just let the Rangers walk all over them – despite their being the No. 1 seed. Overall, it was an impressive run for a team that seemed to be falling apart mid-season.
So while the loss may have been the end of their season, and they may be in the market for a new coach, the Capitals have a long offseason to refocus and rebuild. Besides, the best thing about sports is the knowledge that there’s always next year.
Nationals
Instead of wallowing in misery, Caps fans should turn their attention to the Nationals, who right now seem to be the brightest hope in the District’s quest to bring a national championship to this city. It’s been 21 years since the Redskins won the Super Bowl, which marks the longest drought for any city with four sports teams.
The Nats are on track to change all that. With an 8-5 win on Monday, they have regained their spot atop the NL East (22-13, .629 overall), not to mention still boasting one of the best records in the entire league. Monday night’s win against the San Diego Padres also marked a milestone for their newest and youngest player. Bryce Harper, the young outfielder who is poised to become the next big thing in baseball (or already is, if you ask him), hit his first career homerun, sending a 400-plus foot rocket into the stands.
Stephen Strasburg will make his eighth start of the season on Tuesday, when the Nats take on the Padres in the second and final game of the cross-country matchup. If the Nats win, they will not only send the Padres packing empty-handed, but keep Strasburg unbeaten on the season. He is 3-0 in seven starts, with an ERA of 1.64. The game will mark the first time Strasburg faces the Padres, his hometown team.
