WASHINGTON (WUSA9)--It's been a long 20 years for the Washington Capitals. Heartbreak. Failure. Lost hope. They have a chance to erase all of that by doing something they haven't done since 1998: Get back to the Stanley Cup Finals
They only thing standing in the Caps' way is the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 on Wednesday night.
And it's been a roller coaster of emotions to get to this point. Lowered expectations after last year led to joy of making the playoffs. That excitement was squashed when we had to play the Penguins again, but it was an even higher level of elation when we exercised those demons.
We rode that high going up 2-0 on the Lightning, only to see the shades of pessimism creep back into our consciousness when we had to come back to D.C. down 3-2. And yeah, sure, we won Game 6, but just how should we feel about our chances in Game 7?
If you're feeling doubtful, you aren't alone.
Misery, heartache, and gloominess have followed the Caps around year after year.
History has shown that the Capitals haven't done well when they really need a win, and they need it now more than ever.
It's hard to forget the last time the Capitals faced the Lightning in the postseason.
The Lightning were down 0-2 to start, then came back to beat the Capitals eliminating them from the playoffs. Sound familiar?
Remember everyone, it’s still the Washington Capitals... #choke pic.twitter.com/3g8HNyfsVQ
Should you be nervous?
"Being nervous is not something you should be ashamed of. Nervous means you care, you really want to do well."
That's a line from professional golfer Paula Creamer. She's so right.
There's nothing wrong with being a little nervous before a big game, and if there's any game to be nervous about, it's a Game 7.
You can bet some of the players are even nervous.
In the Alex Ovechkin-era alone, the Caps have made the playoffs 18 times and 11 of those series' have gone to a Game 7.
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If you can't stop biting your nails or shaking your leg, it's only because you care so much about your team and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
If there were fans that weren't worried, that would be worrying.
But don't let the nerves stop you from enjoying the game.
This is still an exciting time for the Caps, and you can't forget it.
Hopeful fans are a rarity, but they're around here somewhere
I've never had such a hard time finding fans that believe their team is going to go all the way.
It's almost like fans treat games like birthday wishes after blowing out the candles.
If they say it out loud, that means it won't come true.
But there are many reasons to be hopeful.
The Caps have actually had more success on the road this postseason than at home.
During the 2018 playoffs, the Capitals are 7-1 on the road and just 3-6 at home.
For fans that are hopeful, don't be afraid to share that with your fellow pessimists.
They've just let history get the best of them.
But it's another year, and the Caps are here to go all the way!
Contact Ashley on Twitter @AshleyHasSpoken
