Earlier this season, we posted Alex Ovechkin](https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/early-times-of-the-great-eight/c-311761890) and another Nicklas Backstrom](https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/backstrom-takes-center-stage/c-313921356). In the process of crafting those stories and talking to the subjects themselves and many others, we were reminded of how exciting and thrilling the 2007-08 NHL season was in these parts.

It stands as Ovechkin's career year, it was Backstrom's rookie year, Bruce Boudreau took over behind the Washington bench on Thanksgiving Day, and the Caps made the playoffs for the first time in five years, winning 15 of 19, 11 of 12 and seven straight at season's end to come back from a dismal 6-14-1 start to win the Southeast Division title.

That season and that run into the playoffs augured in the "Rock The Red" era of hockey in DC, the beginning of 11 playoff appearances in a span of a dozen seasons. At this time a dozen years ago, the Caps were in the midst of that wild run. With the NHL's 2019-20 season "paused" for the foreseeable future, we're going to spend the next month looking back at the day-to-day of that remarkable late-season run, revisiting some of our coverage at the time with some fresh hindsight mixed in. On the off days between games, we will revisit some events from earlier in that landmark season. Enjoy!

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Still basking in the afterglow of their 5-4 come-from-behind win over the Flyers on Friday night in Game 1 of their Stanley Cup playoff series, the Caps are aiming to maintain their home ice advantage in the series before it shifts to Philadelphia later in the week. Friday's win was the Caps' seventh straight on home ice; they won each of their last six regular season games here and permitted a grand total of just seven goals against in the process.

Here's our preview for Game 2 of the opening round series between the Caps and the Flyers, a nationally televised Sunday matinee affair.

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April 13 versus Philadelphia Flyers at Verizon Center

Time: 2:00 pm

TV: NBC

Radio:3WT 1500AM, 820 AM and 107.7 FM

Philadelphia Flyers (42-29-11, 95 points in regular season)

Washington Capitals (43-31-8, 94 points in regular season)

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For sheer drama and entertainment, it will be hard to match Friday night's Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series between the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers. The Caps and Flyers will drop the puck for Game 2 of the series on Sunday afternoon at Verizon Center before the scene shifts to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.

After Friday night's thrilling comeback victory over the Flyers in Game 1 of the series, several members of the Capitals admitted to being affected by a case of nerves. If that's true, the jitters only lasted for the first 40 minutes.

Washington dug a 4-2 hole for itself in the first two periods of the game, and then stormed back with a three-goal third period to earn a 5-4 win and forge a 1-0 series lead over the Flyers.

Prior to the start of the series, some media types were making a fuss over Washington's overall lack of NHL playoff experience. But it was a recent regular season experience that helped fuel Friday night's late comeback.

Just weeks ago, the Caps were 0-45-5 in their previous 50 games when trailing after two periods. That changed when Washington rebounded from a 3-1 third period deficit in Atlanta on Mar. 21, a game that goaltender Olie Kolzig refers to as "our defining moment. If we don't win that game, we probably lose two or three more and we're not here right now."

Without the recent experience of having cobbled together that comeback in Atlanta three weeks earlier, the Caps may not have been able to put together a similar turnaround in Friday's Game 1.

"I'm sure that helped," says veteran winger Matt Cooke. "Absolutely. Anytime you can pull on experiences that you've had in the past, it makes you stronger, it makes you mentally tougher and it makes you more prepared for that situation."

"Unless you see it happening and feel it happening, then you don't believe it can happen," says Caps coach Bruce Boudreau. "I would venture to guess that they drew on that experience in belief that it could happen. There would have been a good chance that they came close [on Friday] but no cigar if they hadn't won it in Atlanta like they did."

Caps defenseman Mike Green, who led NHL defensemen with 18 regular season goals and had three overtime game-winners during the season, scored the two goals that brought the Caps from being down 4-2 to even at 4-4. Alex Ovechkin's strip, steal and score with 4:30 left in the third iced it for Washington.

"I don't think so," says blueliner Green, when asked if he believed the Caps could have won Friday's game without first having forged the comeback in Atlanta. "We kind of let a couple of those games slip away, like Pittsburgh and Boston. If we didn't get that game in Atlanta, and a couple of other ones, we wouldn't be in this position.

"We've been playing desperation hockey and [Friday] night we were playing that again in the third period. But we've been in that situation before, like in Atlanta and those [other] games. It was a good win and we'll carry it into this game [Sunday].

Green and Ovechkin were the third period heroes, but both admitted to being a bit on the jittery side early in the game. Green doesn't expect that to be a factor going forward in the series and the playoffs.

"I usually don't get nervous, but I was a little bit nervous," he admits. "There were a lot of feelings going through me; and emotions. Once I settled down, I felt fine. It took me about a period and a half to settle down, though.

"Your mind goes so fast and your heart is beating a bit faster than usual. Things don't come naturally; you kind of have to force things, and that's not the way to play the game."

"I think right now we feel comfortable every time, every minute," says Ovechkin. "The first game helped us. We see what it means to be in the playoffs and how we have to play."

Despite their youthfulness and relative lack of NHL playoff experience, the Caps came out strong and hard in the early minutes of the game. They grabbed an early lead and had the better of the play for the first seven or eight minutes, until the Flyers knotted the score at 1-1.

"I think that emotions and the readiness for the intensity prepared us for the first five or eight minutes," says Cooke. "Then I think you saw some of the rust of not playing for five days settle in, and it took a toll. But I think we got better as the game went on, obviously into the third period where we managed to create some pressure and maintain some pressure in their end.

"It's a situation where we feel like we can [play] better. We made some mistakes that led to their goals, and they played well."

During the regular season, the Flyers were 30-1-3 when leading games after two periods. Philadelphia fell behind twice in Game 1, rallied to tie and then took a second period lead with two goals in a span of 33 seconds. The Flyers scored twice off the rush, and twice by virtue of having traffic in front of the net.

For Sunday's Game 2, Philly should get ailing defenseman Randy Jones (flu) and veteran winger Sami Kapanen (flu, neck) back in the lineup. The Flyers may also have Patrick Thoresen in the lineup on Sunday.

The Norwegian winger took a Mike Green shot to the midsection, and it was feared that he might require testicular surgery. Thoresen spent Friday night in a local hospital. His condition improved on Saturday and he was discharged. His status for Sunday will probably be a game-time decision.

Philly won't have defenseman Derian Hatcher (leg) for Game 2, but he could be ready to return for Game 3 in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

"We figure every game is a new day," says Boudreau. "We're looking at it [like it's] the first game of the series again [Sunday]. Sometimes you can win the first game and if you're not more ready the next game, the other team is going to come up and bite you.

"They'll be ready. Hopefully we've communicated what needs to be done, and we'll be ready. I think these two teams - if you look at all year long - have played pretty good, exciting, close games. I don't see any difference tomorrow."

Notes:Caps defenseman Jeff Schultz missed Game 1 of the series, and his availability for Sunday will be a game-time decision.

Fun Fact:Washington has won two of the three previous playoff series between the Caps and Flyers and it is 10-7 in playoff games against Philadelphia. For the longest time, however, the Caps had plenty of regular season woes against the Flyers.

From the beginning of its inception into the NHL in 1974-75, it took Washington longer to earn its first ever win over the Flyers than it did to get into the win column against every other team in the league. The Caps did not defeat the Flyers until the 1980-81 season, their seventh in the league. Before finally beating the Flyers for the first time on Dec. 21, 1980, Washington was 0-19-6 against Philadelphia.

Injuries

Philadelphia Flyers

Defenseman Mike Rathje has a back/hip injury and is out indefinitely.

Defenseman Derian Hatcher has a broken right leg and is day-to-day.

Left wing Simon Gagne has a mild concussion and is out indefinitely.

Left wing Patrick Thoresen has a groin injury and is day-to-day.

Right wing Sami Kapanen has flu-like symptoms and a sore neck and is day-to-day.

Washington
Defenseman Jeff Schultz has an injury and is day-to-day.

Defenseman Brian Pothier has an upper body injury and is day-to-day.

Center Michael Nylander underwent shoulder surgery and is out 3-6 months.

Right wing Chris Clark has a groin injury and is day-to-day.

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Possible Line Combos and Defensive Pairings

Philadelphia Forwards

19-Hartnell, 48-Briere, 40-Prospal

9-Upshall, 17-Carter, 22-Knuble

20-Umberger, 18-Richards, 15-Lupul

32-Cote, 34-Dowd, 24-Kapanen

Philadelphia Defensemen

5-Coburn, 44-Timonen

6-Jones, 21-Smith

26-Modry, 28-Kukkonen

Goaltenders
30-Niittymaki, 43-Biron

Washington Forwards
8-Ovechkin, 19-Backstrom, 25-Kozlov

28-Semin, 91-Fedorov, 24-Cooke

43-Fleischmann, 21-Laich, 15-Gordon

87-Brashear, 39-Steckel, 10-Bradley

<strong>Washington Defensemen</strong>  
26-Morrisonn, 52-Green

55-Schultz, 3-Poti

4-Erskine, 23-Jurcina

Goaltenders
37-Kolzig, 38-Huet