The History of the Washington Capitals(Est. 1973)
1984-1986 HITTING THE HUNDRED POINT MARK
CAPS BECOME AN NHL FORCE
by Rick Benson
100 points in an NHL season (2 for each win, 1 for each tie) is generally considered the gold standard for a team. 100 points often results in a division title, home ice advantage for one or more rounds in the playoffs and sets the stage for a deep run at the Stanley Cup.
The Capitals earned their first trip to the playoffs in during the 1982-83 season with a 94 point finish; good for third place in the Patrick Division behind the Philadelphia Flyers (106) and the New York Islanders (96). Uncharted territory for a team that only once before finished anywhere but last in the division. Washington now had a strong core of players; including Norris Trophy winner Rod Langway, centers Dennis Maruk and Bobby Carpenter, wingers Mike Gartner and Bengt Gustafsson and a pair of serviceable goalie in Al Jensen and Pat Riggin. The start of the 1983-84 had Caps fans hungry for more success.
Ominously, the Capitals looked more like their earlier versions as they started the season 0-7; including an embarrassing 4-0 blanking at the Capital Centre against the then hapless Pittsburgh Penguins. It wasn’t until the 44th game of the season in January that Washington got past the .500 mark. A week later, the Caps began a 14-game unbeaten streak and later ended the regular season on a 12-2-1 run. The season finale, a 4-1 victory over the Flyers at the Spectrum, gave Washington its first 100 point season (101). Gartner lit the lamp 40 times and led the Capitals in scoring with 85 points. Fellow right winger Dave Christian had a career year with 52 assists and 82 points.
The Caps continued their roll over Philadelphia with a three-game sweep in the opening round of the playoffs; setting up a re-match with the defending Stanley Cup champion Islanders. Overcoming a 2-0 deficit in game 1 at the Nassau Coliseum; Craig Laughlin pushed the game-winner past future Hall of Famer Billy Smith with a minute and a half to go to give the Caps a 3-2 win. It went downhill from there as the Islanders swept the next four games to take the series. Though the season ended on a low note, any talk of the Capitals leaving DC became as obsolete as eight-track tapes.
Expectations and excitement for Capitals hockey was at an all-time high going into the 1984-85 season. Coming off their most successful season in their NHL history (48 wins, 101 points, 2nd place in the Patrick Division), the Capitals were expected to take over leadership of the division from the Islanders, whose fading dynasty was given a blow after the Oilers topped them in the 1984 Finals.
Instead, despite a solid start to the season, the Caps were struggling in the early going to keep up with the surprising Philadelphia Flyers. With a surge around the holidays, Washington ended up snagging first place and with the help of easy games and a 12-2-2 mark in January; extended their division lead to double-digit points by the start of February.
However, the Flyers came breathing down the Caps' necks from there. On February 9, Washington led Philly by 11 points, but a last-second loss to the Flyers at the Capital Centre triggered another battle for the division title. The month of March saw the Caps go 6-8 while their neighbors to the north when on a tear; determined to represent the conference in what would likely be a battle with Wayne Gretzky and the defending champion Edmonton Oilers. After dropping a key pair of games in a home-and-home set on March 7 at the Spectrum (9-6) and March 8 at the Capital Centre (4-2) -- the clubs were in a tie for first place. Key losses at home to Boston and on the road at Hartford sealed their fate as the Flyers wrapped up the Patrick title on March 28.
Despite winning 46 games and posting another 101 point campaign, the Capitals wound up 12 points behind Philly, and won only once in seven games against them (1-5-1). That didn't take away from the career performances of Carpenter (53 goals) and Gartner (50 goals); the first Capitals teammates to post concurrent 50 goal seasons. The dynamic duo led a potent Caps offense which found the net 322 times.
Firmly established as one of the top teams in the NHL, the Capitals entered the 1985-86 campaign brimming with confidence and looking to take the top spot in the Patrick Division. But their signature season starting slump resurfaced at Washington went 5-5-2 in their first twelve contests. Then the talented team from DC closed out 1985 with a 16-5-2 run to put the heat on their arch-rival Flyers. Philly had to deal with the emotional loss of goalie Pelle Lindbergh, who was in a fatal car accident in which his blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit. Both teams spent time in first place down the stretch; thanks to a 15-4-2 Capitals run to end the regular season. But Flyers captain Tim Kerr set the NHL record with 34 power play goals to lead Philly to the division title; edging the Caps by three points 110-107.
The playoffs started off on a good note as the Capitals swept the Islanders 3-0 while the Flyers got knocked out in the first round by the New York Rangers. With Philly out of the way, the Caps were poised to make their first deep playoff run but New York stayed in upset mode and took the series four games to two. Still the 107 points by Washington would stand as the franchise record for 23 years. Gartner and Carpenter were unable to match their 50-plus goal seasons but both were strong in the playoffs. Christian led the Capitals in scoring with 83 points while Gartner, Laughlin and Gustafsson tied with 75. The 107 points by Washington would stand as the franchise record for 23 years and the Capitals continued reaching the playoffs for many years to come.