But this was Washington’s best and most balanced regular season team, certainly of the Ovechkin era and maybe in franchise history. Washington’s 4-3 overtime loss ended perhaps the best season in franchise history in a horribly familiar spot: the second round, and the middle of May. Holtby tied the NHL’s mark for regular season wins, but Penguins kid goalie Matt Murray matched him in this series. It isn’t revisionist history to suggest that Washington was often flat to start games, and had virtually no fizz for the last month of the regular season. Now remember all the ways this team had distinguished itself in the regular season.

Source: Washington Post May 10, 2016 22:24 UTC