"Caps' Greatest Hits" Airs Tonight on NBC Sports Washington

Beginning tonight and running for five weeks to May 25, NBC Sports Washington will air a special series of "Caps Greatest Hits" games. The one-hour specials will air at 7 p.m. on each of the next five Monday nights, and each will highlight a memorable Caps game from the past.

The series debuts tonight with Game 7 of the Capitals' first-round playoff series with the New York Rangers from April 28, 2009. Caps pro scout Matt Bradley will join NBC Sports Washington's Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin to share their memories of that contest from nearly 11 years ago. Bradley spent six of his 11 NHL seasons here in the District.

Washington was down three games to one in the best-of-seven series, and Bradley helped spark the Caps' comeback by scoring the first two goals - including one shorthanded - of Game 5 against Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist in a 4-0 Washington win, and he also played a part in the game-winner in Game 7 as the Caps claimed their first playoff series win in 11 years.

Many fans and media types who were at that game still claim they've never heard the crowd any louder than it was for the final five minutes that night at the big barn on F St.

That 2009 first-round series with the Rangers was the first of four playoff meetings with the Blueshirts in a span of five seasons. With 108 points during the regular season, the Caps won a second straight Southeast Division crown and were the second-seeded team in the Eastern Conference playoffs that spring. New York finished seventh in the East and fourth in the Atlantic Division with 95 points.

After Jose Theodore - in his first season as the Caps' No. 1 netminder - started and lost Game 1 by a 4-3 count, Washington bench boss Bruce Boudreau made a bold move and made a goaltending switch, casting his lot with largely untested rookie Semyon (whose name was still being spelled as "Simeon" in the media at the time) Varlamov, who had all of six games (five starts) worth of NHL experience at the outset of the playoffs. Varlamov celebrated his 21st birthday the night before facing the Rangers in Game 7.

After Varlamov lost his playoff debut to Lundqvist and the Rangers by a 1-0 count in Game 2 of the series, the Caps went to New York for Game 3 in a 2-0 hole in the set. But Varlamov pitched a pair of 4-0 shutouts in Games 3 and 5, and the Caps forced a decisive Game 7 with a 5-3 win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden in Game 6.

Rangers coach John Tortorella tossed a plastic drinking bottle at a fan during a Game 5 altercation in Washington, incurring a one-game suspension for Game 6. The Rangers lost that game - and their series lead - with ex-Caps coach Jim Schoenfeld behind the bench for New York. Schoenfeld was an assistant GM with the Rangers in those days.

Veteran Washington winger Donald Brashear was suspended for six games by the NHL ahead of Game 7. One game of Brashear's suspension was for making pregame contact with Rangers forward Colton Orr and the other five games of the punishment were for an illegal hit delivered to Rangers forward Blair Betts in the first period of Game 6.

With Brashear out, Caps captain Chris Clark stepped back into the lineup after a three-month absence because of wrist surgery.

Here is our written coverage from that game, with the game preview followed by the postgame notebook. Enjoy the presentation, and we'll do it again next Monday.

\\\\\\

Game 7, Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series (series even, 3-3)

April 28 vs. New York Rangers at Verizon Center

Time: 7:00 pm

TV:Versus, Comcast SportsNet

Radio:Caps Radio 106.7 FM, 1370 AM and XM

New York Rangers (43-30-9, 95 points)

Washington Capitals (50-24-8, 108 points)

For the first time since before the puck dropped to start Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series between the Caps and the New York Rangers, the series is even. Washington's 5-3 win over the Rangers in Game 6 on Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden squared the series at 3-3 and reduced the set to a best of one, winner take all event.

Game 7 is at Verizon Center on Tuesday. It's the second opening-round Game 7 match in as many years for the Caps. They dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to Philadelphia in Game 7 of the opening round last season. That Game 7 was the first for the Caps in a span of 13 years.

Washington lost the first two games of the series and three of the first four before rallying to even the set with a pair of weekend wins. Now the Capitals will seek to win their first playoff series since taking the Eastern Conference Final series from Buffalo by virtue of Joé Juneau's overtime goal on June 4, 1998.

Facing elimination in each of the last two games, Washington responded with a 4-0 win in Game 5 and Sunday's triumph in New York. The Capitals struggled to beat Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist early in the series, but have chased him from the nets after 40 minutes in each of the last two contests.

Once seemingly invincible, Lundqvist has now surrendered nine goals on just 34 shots in 80 minutes of work covering his last two games. That translates to a 6.75 GAA and a .735 save pct. during that stretch.

Meanwhile, rookie Washington goaltender Simeon Varlamov has spun a pair of shutouts, and has allowed just six goals in five games during the series. Varlamov has a 1.21 GAA and a .954 save pct. Both figures rank second among all NHL playoff goaltenders this spring. The steely freshman celebrated his 21st birthday a day before he tries to backstop the Caps to their first series win in more than a decade.

Even though the recent netminding history of the two would seem to favor Washington, the Caps know they'll have to be at their best because Lundqvist can revert to his usual Vezina-caliber form at any moment.

"If we're not ready, we're going to get caught," says veteran Caps winger Matt Bradley. "We're going to have to play with even more desperation [Tuesday] night.

"I think the last couple of games we have played well but that can all change really quickly. I'm sure Lundqvist is going to bounce back with a great game [Tuesday].

Washington will be without the services of veteran left wing Donald Brashear. The NHL announced Monday that it has suspended Brashear for a total of six games for two incidents. Brashear was assessed a one-game suspension for contact with New York's Colton Orr during the pre-game warm-up prior to Game 6 in New York. Brashear received an additional five games for a hit delivered to the Rangers' Blair Betts during the first period of Game 6.

Brashear's absence from the Caps' lineup for Game 7 could open a window of opportunity for Caps captain Chris Clark. Clark has missed most of the last two seasons because of a variety of serious ailments. He last played three months ago, on Jan. 27 in Boston, the Caps' first game after the 2009 NHL All-Star Game. Clark underwent wrist surgery soon after that, and has only recently been cleared to play.

Along with center Sergei Fedorov, Clark is one of only two members of the Caps to have played in the Stanley Cup finals. Fedorov played on three Cup champion teams with Detroit, while Clark was a member of the 2003-04 Calgary Flames team that went to Game 7 of the Cup finals before falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Now in his fourth season with the Caps and his third as the team's captain, Clark missed the Caps' seven-game playoff run last spring. If he does return to the lineup on Tuesday, it will mark his first playoff action in almost five years, since that Game 7 of the Cup finals against the Bolts in 2004.

Having their captain back in uniform and in the lineup could be a big lift to Washington for Game 7, but the Caps will also have the home crowd on their side. History shows the home team wins Game 7 at a 63% rate.

"I think it's a big advantage," says Bradley, of playing Game 7 at Verizon. "Our fans have been unbelievable all year. In the playoffs they've been super loud and really helping us out. It's great to be able to come home with our destiny in our own hands."

Injuries

New York Rangers

None reported.

Washington

Goaltender Brent Johnson is day-to-day.

Defenseman Jeff Schultz is day-to-day.

Right wing Chris Clark is day-to-day.

Left wing Quintin Laing is out.

Left wing Donald Brashear is suspended.

Possible Line Combos and Defensive Pairings

New York Forwards

16-Avery, 19-Gomez, 13-Zherdev

91-Naslund, 23-Drury, 80-Antropov

29-Korpikoski, 17-Dubinsky, 24-Callahan

20-Sjostrom, 42-Anisimov, 34-Voros

New York Defensemen

6-Redden, 33-Rozsival

5-Girardi, 18-Staal

27-Mara, 53-Morris

Goaltenders

30-Lundqvist, 40-Valiquette

Washington Forwards

8-Ovechkin, 91-Fedorov, 25-Kozlov

14-Fleischmann, 19-Backstrom, 28-Semin

21-Laich, 39-Steckel, 10-Bradley

17-Clark, 15-Gordon, 16-Fehr

Washington Defensemen

26-Morrisonn, 52-Green

3-Poti, 23-Jurcina

4-Erskine, 2-Pothier

Goaltenders

40-Varlamov, 60-Theodore

\\\\\\

Big Players, Big Goals, Big Games -Caps center Sergei Fedorov played in the 176th Stanley Cup playoff game of his NHL career on Tuesday. He is now one game shy of matching Hockey Hall of Famer Al MacInnis for 25th on the league's all-time list in that department.

Thanks to his game-winning goal that gave the Caps a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series, Fedorov won't have to wait beyond this playoff season to catch MacInnis.

Fedorov snapped a sharp wrist shot over the catching glove of Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist at 15:01 of the third period tonight to give the Caps the lead, the victory and the series. The goal was 52nd of his playoff career, and the 172nd point of his Stanley Cup playoff career. He has six career points (three goals, three assists) in eight career Game 7s.

"It was just a regular break out," says Fedorov in describing his game-winner. "It was two-on-two in their zone. Not much else going on, so I decided to shoot the puck. I stopped and I did it and it went in top corner short side. I didn't think too much about it. Entering the zone, make sure the puck went deep. The [defense] gave me some room, when I stopped so I choose to shoot. I knew the [defense] was giving me short side. I shot it top shelf."

Top shelf, short side. That's where the Caps began exploiting Lundqvist in Sunday's Game 6 at Madison Square Garden. Fedorov, who had clanged a few shots off the post earlier in the series, picked his spot and hit it tonight.

Fedorov is now tied with Hockey Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux for 15th place on the league's all-time playoff scoring list. Fedorov now has 12 game-winning goals in Stanley Cup playoff competition, tied for 17th on the NHL's all-time list in that department.

From Russia, With Glove -He celebrated his 21st birthday a day before standing between the pipes for the Capitals in Tuesday's deciding Game 7. That deciding game was his sixth game of the playoffs, as many as he played during the regular season.

Caps goaltender Simeon Varlamov was the story of the series, taking over in the Washington nets from Jose Theodore after New York's Game 1 win. Varlamov was 4-2 with a 1.17 GAA and a .952 save pct. in the series against the Rangers.

Varlamov is second in the NHL in playoff GAA and third in save pct. He is tied for the league lead with two shutouts.

21 -Washington became just the 21st team in league history (in 230 occasions, 9.1%) to rebound from a 3-1 series deficit to win a series. The Caps also became the 38th team in 292 instances (13%) to win a series after falling behind 2-0.

Tuesday's triumph was the Caps' first ever in a Game 7 at Verizon Center, and it was just the second Game 7 win in franchise history and the first in 21 years. The Caps are now 2-5 in Game 7s during their history.

The Capitals are now 6-1 when facing elimination in the last two seasons, including the final game of the 2007-08 regular season.

Stonewalled - Washington limited the Rangers to just 15 shots on goal in Tuesday's deciding Game 7. Only one of those shots came in the third period.

The Caps held the Rangers to just 23.7 shots on goal per game in the series, the fewest of the 16 first-round playoff teams.

Start Spreading The News -Washington has now taken three of the five postseason series between the Capitals and the Rangers.

With tonight's Game 7 loss, the Rangers have hairballed a 3-1 series lead for the first time in their franchise history. Tuesday's game was the first Game 7 for the Rangers since they defeated the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals in 1994. That gave New York its first Stanley Cup championship in 54 years.

Caps general manager George McPhee was the assistant general manager for the Canucks in those days.

Flat Stanley -In its biggest game of the season and its biggest game in more than a year, Washington came out on the flat side. It gave up two scoring chances in the first minute of the game, and only a stellar save from Varlamov on a Nik Antropov breakaway bid kept the game scoreless.

Varlamov's early stops did not serve as a wake-up call for his elder teammates. Washington had no sustained puck possession, no shots on goal, and few battles won in corners for pucks.

The Capitals' first shot on goal came 13 minutes into the first period. The first period was arguably Washington's worst period of the series, and might have been New York's best.

Way back in Game 1, the Caps dominated the first period but New York escaped that period 0-0, which had to feel like a win. The Rangers were able to rebound and take the game, 4-3. The Rangers outplayed the Caps for the first 40 minutes tonight, but Washington was able to keep the score knotted and limit New York's scoring chances.

Tight Ones Are Tough - Since winning Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals in overtime on Joé Juneau's goal nearly 11 years ago, Washington has had difficulty winning tight games in the playoffs.

Even after Tuesday's one-goal win in Game 7 over New York, the Caps are 6-17 - including 1-3 in their just-completed series with the Rangers - in one-goal games in the playoffs since ousting Buffalo in 1998. Washington is 1-7 in Stanley Cup playoff overtime games since Juneau's goal.

Postseason Woes No More - It had been 11 years since Washington last won a playoff series, easily the longest such drought in franchise history. The Caps had lost five straight series in that span, and they are now 12-23 in the 35 playoff games since Juneau's overtime goal that beat Buffalo for the Eastern Conference championship on June 4, 1998.

Fortuitous Tally - For the second game in a row, the Caps benefited from numbers provided when a skater exited the penalty box. Mike Green exited the penalty box after serving the Caps' lone minor of the night and joined Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin on the rush. Semin fired a shot that ramped up a Rangers' player's stick, changed directions a couple of times and fluttered past a helpless Lundqvist to even the score at 1-1 late in the first period.

It was the second of only two Caps shots on goal in the first, and the hockey equivalent of the shot from the grassy knoll.

No Mo - Seconds after the Caps tied the game on Semin's first period strike, any momentum gained from the goal went by the wayside when a pane of glass behind the New York net had to be replaced. The resulting delay lasted more than five minutes.

2:42 - That's how long into the second period it took the Caps to exceed the number of shots they fired on goal in the first frame (two).

Leaders - Semin's goal was his fifth of the postseason. He is tied with Carolina's Eric Staal for the league lead in that department. Semin's eight points are tied for second in the NHL.

Backstrom assisted on Semin's goal, his seventh helper of the postseason. He leads the NHL in that category. Tom Poti's six points (two goals, four assists) are tied for the league lead among defensemen.

No Overtime - The series between the Caps and the Rangers was Washington's first series that did not have a single overtime game since it ousted the Ottawa Senators in five regulation games in the 1998 Eastern Conference Semifinals Series.

Familiar Foe - With Blair Betts out of the lineup, New York recalled center Artem Anisimov from Hartford of the AHL. Anisimov was a teammate of Varlamov's when both players were with Yaroslavl of the Russian Super League. Earlier this season, Anisimov victimized his former teammate when he beat Varlamov for a goal while the latter was playing for the AHL Hershey Bears.

Biggest Fear Averted - If you're a Caps fan, your biggest fear coming into Game 7 is that the New York Rangers had somehow won three of the first six games of the set without having played anywhere near their best hockey. The Blueshirts dusted off their best game tonight, and it was enough to keep the game within a goal all night.

"For most of the game I thought we did a really good job of keeping the puck," says Rangers coach John Tortorella. "It was probably the most we kept the puck all series. We couldn't develop good scoring chances even with the puck and during the [third] period I think they turned it up a notch and we ended up backing up a little bit and they had the puck more than we did. It was still a game to be had. Who makes the next big play. They did, we didn't. They win the game."

"I think we played our best game of the series tonight," says Lundqvist. "We did a great job and had a good feeling going into the third. Out of seven games maybe they were the better team. I still think we did a great job tonight. We should be proud of the way we responded in Game 7."