After big step forward, Capitals thinking ahead

The Capitals kept trying to downplay their own forgettable playoff history, the one pockmarked with disappointment and despair.

Still, they couldn’t run from it.

No one bore the weight more than Alex Ovechkin. All the goals in the world — and the star forward is at over 600 and counting now — couldn’t take the sting away from the endless cycle of postseason runs that ended far too soon.

“It’s so hard to move forward,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. “It’s always thrown in your face, everywhere you turn. I know it’s thrown in Ovi’s face and he’s a great player in this league.”

He’s also one who is finally headed to a conference final with a team few expected to make it this far.

The Capitals advanced to the Eastern finals for only the third time since the franchise’s inception in 1974 with a 2-1 overtime victory in Game 6 against the twotime defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins on Monday night in Pittsburgh, a victory secured by Evgeny Kuznetsov’s breakaway 5 minutes, 27 seconds into the extra period.

“It feels (as if ) something is over,” Kuznetsov said. “It’s pretty hard to speak.”

Maybe because the Capitals’ long-held role as playoff fodder for the Penguins is over. They beat the Penguins in the playoffs for only the second time in 11 tries by playing a disciplined style dictated by Trotz, one that focuses on responsibility at both ends of the ice.

“I don’t want to lie — it tastes a little bit better (beating the Penguins),” Kuznetsov said. “You know, I never focus on the history; I only focus game by game, (but) it feels very nice. (When) you keep playing hockey, it’s unbelievable.”

The Capitals now meet the Lightning, against whom they went 1-1-1 in three regular-season meetings, the last one a 4-2 loss Feb. 20 at home. The Capitals team celebrating Monday night in a locker room that was equal parts joyous and relieved doesn’t look much like that earlier one.

Looming large has been goalie Braden Holtby, who is 8-3 since Trotz reinstated him as the starter following a brief demotion. Holtby said the Capitals have only one thing in mind.

“Our main goal is still the Stanley Cup,” he said. “The third round isn’t the Stanley Cup.”

Holtby gets no argument from Trotz.

“We beat the Pittsburgh Penguins and they’re a hell of a hockey team,” Trotz said. “(But) we’re only halfway. We haven’t done anything yet.”