Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals raise their sticks to salute the crowd after being eliminated at home by Pittsburgh.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
The Capitals look on after their 6-2 loss in Game 7 to Pittsburgh.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin shake hands after Wednesday night's Game 7. The NHL's biggest starts put on a seven-game show, combining for 27 points on 16 goals and 11 assists.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
Tomas Fleischmann skates off the ice after the game. Fleischmann assisted on Brooks Laich's third period goal.
John McDonnell-The Washington Post
Penguins defenseman Kris Letang reacts after scoring the team's fourth goal of the game. Letang was Pittsburgh's hero in Game 3, netting the winning goal in overtime.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
Pittsburgh's fourth goal of the game chased Capitals rookie goalie Simeon Varlamov.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
Washington's Boyd Gordon hangs his head in the third period of Game 7.
John McDonnell-The Washington Post
Alexander Semin loses the puck while under pressure from the Penguins' Tyler Kennedy. Coach Bruce Boudreau revealed after the game that Semin had been one of several Capitals playing despite being injured.
John McDonnell-The Washington Post
The Capitals' bench watches as the final minutes of the game slip by.
John McDonnell-The Washington Post
Alex Ovechkin sends Pittsburgh's Jordan Staal sprawling in the second period. Ovechkin led Washington in hits with five.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
Capitals fans watch on as their team is dismantled in Game 7. Nothing had prepared the Washington faithful for Wednesday's outcome as three games in the series had gone to overtime.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
Alexander Semin checks Pittsburgh's Hal Gill into the boards. Semin was held without a goal in the conference semifinal series against Pittsburgh.
Toni L. Sandys-The Washington Post
After giving up four goals, Capitals goalie Simeon Varlamov is pulled in favor of Jose Theodore. Theodore had not played since Game 1 of the first round.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
The Capitals bench covers up as Pittsburgh's Ruslan Fedotenko and Milan Jurcina battle along the boards in the third period.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
Penguins center Evgeni Malkin beats Alex Ovechkin down the ice. After a falling out between the two young Russian stars, Malkin and Ovechkin repaired their friendship this season.
Toni L. Sandys-The Washington Post
A fan holds up a sign at the end of the game. In a strange turn of events, Washington and Pittsburgh's minor league affiliates were also playing each other in a Game 7 in the American Hockey League playoffs.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
Alexander Semin dives for the puck after Pittsburgh's Tyler Kennedy pushes him from behind.
Toni L. Sandys-The Washington Post
Tomas Fleischmann, left, fails to play the rebound off of Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.
John McDonnell-The Washington Post
Alex Ovechkin scores Washington's first goal of the game with this unassisted shot near the end of the second period.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
Alex Ovechkin and Coach Bruce Boudreau look on as the Capitals take a timeout to regroup after being blitzed for two goals in the first period.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
Alex Ovechkin introduces Pittsburgh center Tyler Kennedy to the butt end of his stick Wednesday night.
Toni L. Sandys-The Washington Post
Sidney Crosby scored twice in Wednesday's deciding Game 7. Crosby finished the series with eight goals and five assists to lead the Penguins to the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight year.
John McDonnell-The Washington Post
Gallery Credits:
Capitals-Penguins playoff history