The Washington Capitals lost game 7 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series to the Flyers last evening in D.C., something the team has done consistently for decades. But this one was measurably different, as the Caps "capped off" a tremendous run at season’s end with an impressive display of fan loyalty and charisma. I’ve been attending these hockey ganmes for a decade and have never seen as many people or heard as much noise as last evening in overtime. As Jason La Canfora writes:
Unlike years past, the sellout crowd — stunned for a moment from the immediacy that, suddenly, it was all over — began to mount a wave of applause. Gradually, it grew, morphing into a standing ovation of sorts, acknowledging the tangible gains the fans had seen firsthand, watching the Capitals climb from the cellar of the Eastern Conference to become Southeast Division champions.