TO KILL A WALKING BIRD

The Capitals’ playoff hopes were dashed by the Penguins time after time after time. But not this time

ito a idteespeepmosetdsfienaaslolynmraukne, F THE CAPITALS WERE througfihttinPgittstbhuerygh.wNouoldteagmo hOpalvadeycohfgfkivihneenearraWtacalhoshne.ien,IgnthtoetnhheigmAhoelerrexisneeRdoeudnCdap2sifnell2t0o0t9h,e2P0e1n6guainds 2al0l1t7h.rePeittysbeaursg.h“Iwt’osnotnheusCutpo change that narrative,” said defenseman Matt Niskanen. iGnatTmohePait6ttsaobspuptrhogrehtuCwnaiipttyihtaalcsa3ms-k2eatseiendrwFioearswlaearadds.sWhNoairscthkhilannsgdtoeBnda, ctkhbsouturnogcmh,. BWuirlasokonvssuksypwenedredin. ajunrdedA,nTdorme abtersthakien, WthaeshcionngfteornencWeitfihnal dressed a playoff franchisertwecoormd afkivinegrothoekires,NHinLclupdoisntgsweiansgoenr dneabmuetsd –NatnhaAnusWtralkiaenr aump ofnogurthe-lmin.eNr aAtulerxallCy,hhiaesssoent iWnastheingsteocnonad1-p0eleriaodd. Tthoe gseivceondary scoring was welcome, ventually secburtetdhethseta2l-w1awrtisne. OTJ,uOstveocvhekrinfipvoekemcihneuctkeesdinthtoe WpuacskhfinrogmtonSibdlnueylinCer.oHsbeyspartutnhge Evgeny Kuznetsov, who split the donefaenbsreaaknadwabye.aKtuMznaettsMovugraravye them ‘The Bird’ – his customary celebration. The demons had beeOnvecxhokrcinisleodo.ked to the heavens and gave an exaggerated soignhs oafndre1li0ef.trIitpstotokth1e3psleayaoffs, but Ovechkin was off to thhaeppEeansetdfi,”nahle. “sTaihda.nOknGeomdotnhtihs aCfatpesr wKeurzenechtsaomv’pss.OT goal, the