Tampa, Fla. — Alex Ovechkin lifted the Prince of Wales Trophy, spun around and set it back down on a table.
The rest of the Capitals joined him for a team photo after beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0 on Wednesday night in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final, a victory that sent Washington to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 20 years.
A decade of playoff frustration is fading fast.
“I think Ovie has been on a mission,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. “They wanted this game, no question.