Capitals Ignore Their Past to Assure a Playoff Future

It was Washington Coach Ron Wilson who first raised the stakes in the first-round playoff series against Boston, way back after a disallowed goal in overtime enabled the Capitals to win Game 3.

“I was hoping we could learn something about ourselves and challenge our people to get rid of their demons,” Wilson said Sunday after the Capitals advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Bruins at Boston.

Brian Bellows scored after 15:24 of overtime and Olaf Kolzig stopped 47 shots on Sunday as the Capitals took the best-of-seven series in six games to exorcise the demons for a franchise that has blown a 3-1 series lead three times in the past 11 years.

“I guess the Curse of the Capitals is over now, isn’t it?” Kolzig said.

Montreal 3, Pittsburgh 0--Goaltender Andy Moog made 21 saves as the Canadiens beat Penguins at Montreal to become the East’s third underdog team to advance to the second round of playoffs.

The Canadiens checked the Penguins’ Jaromir Jagr unmercifully and won the series, 4-2.

The eighth-seeded Ottawa Senators and the sixth-seeded Buffalo Sabres were also upset winners in the East.

Detroit 5, Phoenix 2--Brendan Shanahan scored two goals and Steve Yzerman had a goal and two assists as the Red Wings closed out their first-round series, 4-2, against the Coyotes at Phoenix.