Brooks Laich almost uttered the word “stealing” Friday when talking about his team’s April playoff series with Philadelphia, but he switched to “beating” before it came completely out of his mouth.
Mike Green didn’t show the same restraint.
“They stole something from us in the playoffs there,” Green said. “They took something from us last year - a run that we could have gone on. We’re not going to forget that.”
The Washington Capitals have played 13 of the other 14 teams in the Eastern Conference this season, but No. 14 is the one they have waited for the most. It was Philadelphia’s Joffrey Lupul who ended the Caps’ magical run last season, netting an overtime goal in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at Verizon Center.
Instead of a trip to Pittsburgh to square off with their other nemesis in the second round, the Caps were left to wonder what might have been.
“It doesn’t sit well,” Laich said. “We have long memories. We’ve never really had fond memories of that team, and it is a good rivalry.”
Washington’s sordid postseason history against Pittsburgh aside, Philadelphia may be the team’s chief rival. Sure, Caps-Penguins contests are among the most anticipated of the season, but the Caps players don’t possess the memories of past playoff failures against Pittsburgh - especially with longtime goalie Olie Kolzig gone.
The Flyers are another matter. There was plenty of angst between the two teams before last postseason, and now it is at another level. Plus there is Philadelphia’s aggressive style of play.
“They play physical, and overall their team toughness is pretty good,” Laich said. “They like that intensity, they like that style of game and we don’t shy away from it either.”
Both rosters look remarkably similar to the ones from April, which is another reason for the zeal about the Saturday matinee at Wachovia Center. Were it not for injuries, these two teams would be nearly identical to the ones that battled in possibly the best series of the 2008 playoffs.
“I think we know them pretty well,” Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Their core group is completely the same as the core group as they had last year, and so is ours. I don’t think there is a lot of like on either side. It should be a fun game.”
This isn’t a rivalry that is going away, either. Just as people in the hockey community can envision playoff wars between Alex Ovechkin’s Caps and Sidney Crosby’s Penguins for the next decade, there could be several more meetings between Washington and Philadelphia.
Much like the Caps and Penguins, the Flyers have several young cornerstone players locked into long-term contracts. Philadelphia has six forwards under contract for at least the next three seasons - five of whom are 28 or younger.
Both teams are among the best in the East this season and have been rolling recently. Since a 4-6-3 start that brought whispers about coach John Stevens’ future in Philadelphia, the Flyers have ripped off a 13-2-2 stretch to climb to fourth in the conference standings.
The Caps have not played their best hockey of late, drifting through portions of games against inferior competition. Yet Washington has won seven of eight and has a firm grasp on the Southeast Division lead.
This game should also bring back fond memories for Boudreau. He made his NHL debut in this building nearly 13 months ago. That game was also a weekend afternoon tilt - one in which the Caps’ prevailed 4-3 with an overtime tally from Nicklas Backstrom.
“I’m looking forward to it because it is always a great atmosphere,” Boudreau said. “It is a real hockey atmosphere. You’re going to have 20,000 so-and-so’s there. [The Flyers] are playing so good right now that it is going to be a great challenge for us.”
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