Ranking the top 5 Capitals Game 7 heartbreaks
Look away, Washington Capitals fans.
For the third time since 2009-10, the Caps earned the Presidents' Trophy as the top regular-season team, only to see their Stanley Cup aspirations come to a crashing halt in a Game 7 - this time Wednesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Despite owning the best record across the NHL dating back to 2008-09, the Capitals haven't advanced past the second round in 19 seasons, and boy, there's been plenty of heartbreak along the way.
In the Alex Ovechkin era - and no, it's not his fault - Washington is 3-7 in Game 7s, and below are the most excruciating, gut-wrenching defeats of the many.
5. Round 2, 2015 - New York Rangers
After taking a 2-0 series lead, and starting Game 7 on the right foot with a goal from Ovechkin, Washington let it slip away, losing 2-1 as Derek Stepan netted the overtime series winner to send the Capitals packing.
4. Round 1, 2010 - Montreal Canadiens
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If you ever venture down to D.C., be wary of mentioning the name Jaroslav Halak.
After earning a franchise-record 121 points in the regular season, the Capitals were matched up with the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens, and the Slovakian netminder drove a dagger through Washington's heart with an otherworldly performance.
The Capitals outshot the Habs 42-16 in Game 7, but fell 2-1 on home ice in one of the biggest upsets in NHL playoff history.
3. Round 1, 2013 - New York Rangers
Again, the Caps led New York 2-0 in a series, but the Blueshirts fought back to force a seventh game, where the wheels fell off for Washington.
In front of a hopeful Verizon Center crowd, New York dominated from start to finish, skating away with an emphatic 5-0 victory.
2. Round 2, 2009 - Pittsburgh Penguins
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The first volume of the Crosby-Ovechkin playoff rivalry was the start of a disappointing trend for the Capitals.
It was an epic series that saw each superstar net a hat trick in Game 2, but the Penguins got the last laugh, crushing their archrivals 6-2 in Game 7 en route to Crosby's first Stanley Cup.
1. Round 2, 2017 - Pittsburgh Penguins
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This was supposed to be the year.
With another dominant regular season behind them, the Capitals added Kevin Shattenkirk to go all the way, and with several core-player contracts set to expire, Washington was all in.
Barry Trotz's troops fought back from a 3-1 series deficit to force a decisive Game 7, yet laid an egg with their season on the line, dropping a 2-0 decision to extend the streak of postseason misery.
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