For the better part of five decades now, the Washington Capitals have been delighting and disappointing hockey fans in the DMV, bringing varying degrees of exhilaration and excitement mixed with heartache to an ever growing and expanding group of fans. From their maiden NHL voyage in 1974-75 when they set an NHL record for single-season futility that may never be matched, to the team's current run of 14 playoff appearances in the last 15 seasons and a Stanley Cup championship in 2018, the Caps have supplied a wild rollercoaster ride of emotions on the ice for nearly 50 years.

Round two of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs gets underway tonight, but for the fourth straight season, the Caps won't be a part of the action. Washington's season came to an end on Friday when it lost Game 6 of its opening round set with the Florida Panthers.

Carter Verhaeghe scored at 2:46 of overtime to lift the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 win over Washington on Friday night at Capital One Arena. With the Game 6 victory, the Panthers have eliminated the Caps from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, winning each of the last three games of the best-of-seven series.

Another State Of Mind - After letting a late lead slip away in Game 4 and failing to build upon and hold a 3-0 second period lead in a Game 5 loss, the Caps are out of slack on the rope as they try to engineer an upset of the Presidents' Trophy-winning Florida Panthers in Game 6 of the series tonight. For the first time in the postseason, Washington faces elimination tonight. The Caps must win Game 6 tonight at Capital One Arena, and they've got to take Game 7 in Florida on Sunday in order to advance to the second round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

May 13 vs. Florida Panthers at FLA Live Arena 

Game 6, First Round Stanley Cup Playoff Series (Panthers lead, 3-2)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

TV: NBCSW, TBS

Radio: Capitals Radio 24/7, 106.7 The Fan

Washington Capitals (44-26-12)

Florida Panthers (58-18-6)

Turn Back Time - The last 48 hours or so are a painful reminder of how swiftly and severely a Stanley Cup Playoff series can swing, not that the Capitals were in need of such a reminder.

Two nights after his overtime goal in Game 4 evened the series at 2-2, Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe had a five-point night to pace his team to a 5-3 win over the Capitals in Game 5 of the first-round playoff series between the two teams on Wednesday night at FLA Live Arena. Verhaeghe scored Florida's first goal, netted the game-winner and added three primary helpers as the Cats scored five unanswered goals to erase a 3-0 Washington lead early in the second period.

Take Five - Four different first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series played their Game 5 on Tuesday night, and all four sets were even at 2-2 at the outset of the evening. By night's end, only one of the four road teams emerged victorious and woke up this morning with a 3-2 series lead. That was the Los Angeles Kings, who lost a late two-goal lead in the third, but they rallied to win on Adrian Kempe's goal early in overtime.

May 11 vs. Florida Panthers at FLA Live Arena 

Game 5, First Round Stanley Cup Playoff Series (series even, 2-2)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

TV: NBCSW, ESPN2

Radio: Capitals Radio 24/7, 106.7 The Fan

Washington Capitals (44-26-12)

Florida Panthers (58-18-6)

Even Here We Are -- It's ironic that the Caps have been the best penalty killing team in these playoffs - succeeding on each of their 13 shorthanded missions in the first four games - and yet they let a 2-1 late lead slip away in Game 4 when the Panthers' Sam Reinhart scored with 2:04 remaining in regulation, while Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was on the bench in favor of an extra attacker.