Faced with the question of what’s holding the Capitals back from a deeper playoff run, Troy Brouwer struggled to find the right words. His playoff beard had been recently shaved off and only stubble remained. He sighed and started to try to explain, but inevitably trailed off.
Brouwer looked up and laughed and pursed his lips, again trying to articulate what it is about this Washington franchise that it hasn’t gotten past the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs since 1998.
“I’m struggling with it because it’s hard to kind of determine what it is,” Brouwer said.