1997–98 Washington Capitals season

The 1997–98 Washington Capitals season saw the team reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in club history. Peter Bondra's 52 goals led the team; veterans Dale Hunter, Joe Juneau and Adam Oates returned to old form; and Olaf Kolzig had a solid .920 save percentage as the Caps got past the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres (the latter on a dramatic overtime win in Game 6 on a goal by Joe Juneau) en route to the team's first Stanley Cup Finals appearance. The Capitals won six overtime games, three in each of their series against the Bruins and Sabres. However, they were no match for the defending cup champs, the Detroit Red Wings, who won in a four-game sweep.

1997–98 Washington Capitals
Eastern Conference champions
Division3rd Atlantic
Conference4th Eastern
1997–98 record40–30–12
Home record23–12–6
Road record17–18–6
Goals for219
Goals against202
Team information
General managerGeorge McPhee
CoachRon Wilson
CaptainDale Hunter
Team leaders
GoalsPeter Bondra (52)
AssistsAdam Oates (58)
PointsPeter Bondra (78)

Regular season

  • Adam Oates, Phil Housley and Dale Hunter, all scored their 1,000th career point, the only time in NHL history that one team had three different players reach that same milestone in a single season.

The Capitals had a very effective penalty kill during the regular season, allowing the fewest power-play goals (39) and finishing with the highest penalty-kill percentage (89.23%).[1]

Season standings

Atlantic Division
No. GP W L T GF GA Pts
1New Jersey Devils82482311225166107
2Philadelphia Flyers8242291124219395
3Washington Capitals8240301221920292
4New York Islanders8230411121222571
5New York Rangers8225391819723168
6Florida Panthers8224431520325663
7Tampa Bay Lightning8217551015126944
Eastern Conference[2]
R Div GP W L T GF GA Pts
1New Jersey DevilsATL82482311225166107
2Pittsburgh PenguinsNE8240241822818898
3Philadelphia FlyersATL8242291124219395
4Washington CapitalsATL8240301221920292
5Boston BruinsNE8239301322119491
6Buffalo SabresNE8236291721118789
7Montreal CanadiensNE8237321323520887
8Ottawa SenatorsNE8234331519320083
9Carolina HurricanesNE823341820021974
10New York IslandersATL8230411121222571
11New York RangersATL8225391819723168
12Florida PanthersATL8224431520325663
13Tampa Bay LightningATL8217551015126944

Divisions: ATL – Atlantic, NE – Northeast

bold – Qualified for playoffs

Schedule and results

No. R Date Score Opponent Record
1WOctober 1, 19974–1@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1997–98)1–0–0
2WOctober 3, 19976–2Buffalo Sabres (1997–98)2–0–0
3WOctober 4, 19974–1New Jersey Devils (1997–98)3–0–0
4WOctober 8, 19976–3@ New York Islanders (1997–98)4–0–0
5LOctober 9, 19972–5@ Buffalo Sabres (1997–98)4–1–0
6WOctober 11, 19973–1New York Islanders (1997–98)5–1–0
7WOctober 15, 19972–0@ Chicago Blackhawks (1997–98)6–1–0
8WOctober 24, 19973–2@ Montreal Canadiens (1997–98)7–1–0
9LOctober 22, 19973–4@ Colorado Avalanche (1997–98)7–2–0
10TOctober 23, 19973–3 OT@ Phoenix Coyotes (1997–98)7–2–1
11LOctober 25, 19972–5@ St. Louis Blues (1997–98)7–3–1
12LOctober 29, 19973–4Dallas Stars (1997–98)7–4–1
13TOctober 31, 19972–2 OTPhiladelphia Flyers (1997–98)7–4–2
14LNovember 1, 19971–3@ New Jersey Devils (1997–98)7–5–2
15WNovember 4, 19972–1Vancouver Canucks (1997–98)8–5–2
16LNovember 6, 19970–2@ Boston Bruins (1997–98)8–6–2
17WNovember 8, 19972–1Edmonton Oilers (1997–98)9–6–2
18LNovember 9, 19972–3@ Florida Panthers (1997–98)9–7–2
19WNovember 12, 19974–1@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1997–98)10–7–2
20WNovember 13, 19973–2@ Buffalo Sabres (1997–98)11–7–2
21WNovember 15, 19973–2@ Montreal Canadiens (1997–98)12–7–2
22TNovember 18, 19976–6 OTColorado Avalanche (1997–98)12–7–3
23LNovember 22, 19972–5San Jose Sharks (1997–98)12–8–3
24WNovember 23, 19975–2@ Florida Panthers (1997–98)13–8–3
25LNovember 26, 19975–6Montreal Canadiens (1997–98)13–9–3
26LNovember 27, 19971–3@ Ottawa Senators (1997–98)13–10–3
27TNovember 29, 19971–1 OT@ Boston Bruins (1997–98)13–10–4
28WDecember 2, 19973–2 OT@ New York Rangers (1997–98)14–10–4
29WDecember 5, 19973–2 OTFlorida Panthers (1997–98)15–10–4
30LDecember 7, 19974–5@ Florida Panthers (1997–98)15–11–4
31TDecember 10, 19973–3 OT@ San Jose Sharks (1997–98)15–11–5
32LDecember 12, 19974–6@ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1997–98)15–12–5
33TDecember 13, 19972–2 OT@ Los Angeles Kings (1997–98)15–12–6
34TDecember 16, 19972–2 OTNew York Islanders (1997–98)15–12–7
35LDecember 18, 19970–4Florida Panthers (1997–98)15–13–7
36WDecember 20, 19972–1@ Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98)16–13–7
37TDecember 23, 19971–1 OTNew Jersey Devils (1997–98)16–13–8
38LDecember 26, 19971–4Pittsburgh Penguins (1997–98)16–14–8
39LDecember 27, 19970–3Ottawa Senators (1997–98)16–15–8
40WDecember 29, 19974–2St. Louis Blues (1997–98)17–15–8
41WJanuary 1, 19983–2Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1997–98)18–15–8
42LJanuary 3, 19982–3New York Rangers (1997–98)18–16–8
43WJanuary 6, 19985–3Toronto Maple Leafs (1997–98)19–16–8
44WJanuary 8, 19985–3@ New York Rangers (1997–98)20–16–8
45WJanuary 9, 19984–1Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98)21–16–8
46LJanuary 11, 19980–2@ Detroit Red Wings (1997–98)21–17–8
47WJanuary 13, 19984–0Ottawa Senators (1997–98)22–17–8
48WJanuary 15, 19983–2Chicago Blackhawks (1997–98)23–17–8
49WJanuary 21, 19983–2 OT@ Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98)24–17–8
50WJanuary 25, 19984–1Boston Bruins (1997–98)25–17–8
51TJanuary 26, 19982–2 OT@ New York Rangers (1997–98)25–17–9
52TJanuary 28, 19982–2 OTPittsburgh Penguins (1997–98)25–17–10
53WJanuary 31, 19983–2 OT@ Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98)26–17–10
54LFebruary 1, 19982–4Detroit Red Wings (1997–98)26–18–10
55TFebruary 4, 19982–2 OT@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1997–98)26–18–11
56LFebruary 7, 19983–4Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98)26–19–11
57LFebruary 25, 19983–4Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98)26–20–11
58LFebruary 28, 19982–5@ Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98)26–21–11
59LMarch 1, 19980–3Buffalo Sabres (1997–98)26–22–11
60LMarch 3, 19980–3Boston Bruins (1997–98)26–23–11
61LMarch 5, 19982–3@ Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98)26–24–11
62WMarch 7, 19986–3Florida Panthers (1997–98)27–24–11
63WMarch 9, 19985–2Calgary Flames (1997–98)28–24–11
64WMarch 12, 19982–1@ New York Islanders (1997–98)29–24–11
65LMarch 14, 19980–4@ Ottawa Senators (1997–98)29–25–11
66WMarch 16, 19982–1Phoenix Coyotes (1997–98)30–25–11
67WMarch 18, 19981–0Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98)31–25–11
68WMarch 20, 19982–0New Jersey Devils (1997–98)32–25–11
69LMarch 21, 19982–3@ New Jersey Devils (1997–98)32–26–11
70LMarch 25, 19982–4@ Edmonton Oilers (1997–98)32–27–11
71LMarch 26, 19982–3@ Calgary Flames (1997–98)32–28–11
72WMarch 28, 19983–2@ Vancouver Canucks (1997–98)33–28–11
73WMarch 31, 19985–2New York Islanders (1997–98)34–28–11
74WApril 2, 19984–1Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98)35–28–11
75WApril 4, 19983–2Los Angeles Kings (1997–98)36–28–11
76TApril 6, 19982–2 OTMontreal Canadiens (1997–98)36–28–12
77LApril 8, 19981–2 OT@ Dallas Stars (1997–98)36–29–12
78LApril 11, 19983–4@ Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98)36–30–12
79WApril 13, 19982–0@ New York Islanders (1997–98)37–30–12
80WApril 14, 19983–1New York Rangers (1997–98)38–30–12
81WApril 18, 19984–3@ Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98)39–30–12
82WApril 19, 19982–1Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98)40–30–12

Playoffs

Eastern Conference Quarter-finals

Boston vs. Washington
DateAwayHome
April 22Boston 13 Washington
April 24Boston 43 Washington2OT
April 26Washington 32 Boston2OT
April 28Washington 30 Boston
May 1Boston 40 Washington
May 3Washington 32 BostonOT
Washington wins series 4–2

Eastern Conference Semi-finals

Ottawa vs. Washington
DateAwayHome
May 7Ottawa 24 Washington
May 9Ottawa 16 Washington
May 11Washington 34 Ottawa
May 13Washington 20 Ottawa
May 15Ottawa 03 Washington
Washington win series 4–1

Eastern Conference Finals

Buffalo vs. Washington
DateAwayHome
May 23Buffalo 20 Washington
May 25Buffalo 23 WashingtonOT
May 28Washington 43 BuffaloOT
May 30Washington 20 Buffalo
June 2Buffalo 21 Washington
June 4Washington 32 BuffaloOT
Washington wins series 4–2
and Prince of Wales Trophy

Stanley Cup Finals

Washington vs. Detroit
DateAwayHome
June 9Washington 12 Detroit
June 11Washington 45 DetroitOT
June 13Detroit 21 Washington
June 16Detroit 41 Washington
Detroit wins series 4–0
and Stanley Cup
Steve Yzerman (Detroit)
wins Conn Smythe Trophy

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG
Peter BondraRW76522678441411513
Adam OatesC82185876366323
Calle JohanssonD7315203530-111011
Steve KonowalchukLW80102434809202
Joe JuneauC569223126-8411
Phil HousleyD646253124-10410
Richard ZednikRW651792628-2202
Dale HunterC82818261031001
Andrew BrunetteLW28111223122402
Sergei GoncharD7251621662200
Mark TinordiD478917399010
Chris SimonLW287101738-1401
Andrei NikolishinC3861016141101
Jan BulisC485111618-5000
Sylvain CoteD591151636-5000
Craig BerubeLW746915189-3000
Kelly MillerLW76771441-2033
Todd KrygierLW452121430-3001
Esa TikkanenLW20210122-4102
Joe ReekieD6828107015001
Brian BellowsLW116396-3502
Michal PivonkaC33369205001
Brendan WittD64178112-11000
Jeff TomsC333478-11001
Ken KleeD5142646-3001
Jeff BrownD906664000
Jaroslav SvejkovskyRW1741510-5201
Mike EaglesC/LW3613416-2000
Jan BendaC903361000
Nolan BaumgartnerD401100000
Benoit GrattonC601161000
Olaf KolzigG64011120000
Bill RanfordG2201100000
Brad ChurchLW200000000
David HarlockD600042000
Dwayne HayLW200020000
Stewart MalgunasD8000121000
Ryan MulhernC300000000
Pat PeakeC100040000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO SA SV SV%
Olaf Kolzig3788643318101392.20517291590.920
Bill Ranford1183227122552.790555500.901
Team:4971824030121942.34522842090.915

Playoffs

Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG
Joe JuneauC21710178114
Adam OatesC21611178111
Andrei NikolishinC211131412100
Brian BellowsLW2167136201
Peter BondraRW17751212302
Sergei GoncharD21741130312
Richard ZednikRW17731016200
Calle JohanssonD21281016000
Esa TikkanenLW2133620100
Phil HousleyD180444000
Dale HunterC2104430000
Todd KrygierLW131236001
Joe ReekieD2112320000
Mark TinordiD2112342000
Michal PivonkaC130330000
Jeff BrownD20220000
Mike EaglesC/LW120222000
Craig BerubeLW2110121001
Ken KleeD910110000
Chris SimonLW1810126000
Brendan WittD1610114000
Kelly MillerLW100114000
Olaf KolzigG210004000
Jaroslav SvejkovskyRW10002000
Jeff TomsC10000000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L GA GAA SO SA SV SV%
Olaf Kolzig135121129441.954740696.941
Team:135121129441.954740696.941

[3]

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes; PPG=Power-play goals; SHG=Short-handed goals; GWG=Game-winning goals
      MIN=Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; SO = Shutouts; SA=Shots Against; SV=Shots saved; SV% = Save Percentage;

Roster

Final[4]

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
38 Nolan Baumgartner D R 22 1994 Calgary, Alberta
23 Brian Bellows RW R 33 1998 St. Catherines, Ontario
28 Jan Benda C R 26 1998 Reet, Belgium
27 Craig Berube LW L 32 1993 Calahoo, Alberta
12 Peter Bondra RW L 30 1990 Lutsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
28 Jeff Brown D R 32 1998 Ottawa, Ontario
18 Andrew Brunette LW L 24 1993 Sudbury, Ontario
8 Jan Bulis C L 20 1996 Pardubice, Czechoslovakia
25 Brad Church LW L 21 1995 Dauphin, Manitoba
3 Sylvain Cote D R 32 1991 Quebec City, Quebec
36 Mike Eagles RW L 35 1995 Sussex, New Brunswick
55 Sergei Gonchar D L 24 1992 Chelyabinsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
48 Benoit Gratton C L 21 1995 Montreal, Quebec
43 David Harlock D L 27 1997 Toronto, Ontario
42 Dwayne Hay LW L 21 1995 London, Ontario
96 Phil Housley D L 34 1996 St. Paul, Minnesota
32 Dale Hunter (C) C L 37 1987 Petrolia, Ontario
6 Calle Johansson D L 31 1989 Gothenburg, Sweden
90 Joe Juneau C L 30 1994 Pont-Rouge, Quebec
2 Ken Klee D R 27 1990 Indianapolis, Indiana
37 Olaf Kolzig G L 28 1989 Johannesburg, South Africa
22 Steve Konowalchuk LW L 25 1991 Salt Lake City, Utah
9 Todd Krygier RW L 32 1991 Chicago Heights, Illinois
4 Stewart Malgunas D L 28 1996 Prince George, British Columbia
10 Kelly Miller RW L 35 1987 Lansing, Michigan
26 Ryan Mulhern C R 25 1997 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
13 Andrei Nikolishin C L 25 1996 Vorkuta, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
77 Adam Oates C R 35 1997 Weston, Ontario
14 Pat Peake RW R 25 1991 Rochester, Michigan
20 Michal Pivonka C L 32 1984 Kladno, Czechoslovakia
30 Bill Ranford G L 31 1997 Brandon, Manitoba
29 Joe Reekie D L 33 1994 Victoria, British Columbia
17 Chris Simon LW L 26 1996 Wawa, Ontario
34 Jaroslav Svejkovsky RW R 21 1996 Plzeň, Czechoslovakia
11 Esa Tikkanen LW L 33 1998 Helsinki, Finland
24 Mark Tinordi D L 32 1995 Red Deer, Alberta
21 Jeff Toms C L 24 1997 Swift Current, Saskatchewan
19 Brendan Witt D L 23 1993 Humboldt, Saskatchewan
44 Richard Zednik RW L 22 1994 Banská Bystrica, Czechoslovakia

Draft picks

Below are the Washington Capitals' selections at the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, held on June 21, 1997 at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[5]

Round # Player Pos Nationality College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1 9 Nick Boynton D  Canada Ottawa 67's (OHL)
2 35 Jean-Francois Fortin D  Canada Sherbrooke Faucons (QMJHL)
4 89 Curtis Cruickshank G  Canada Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
5 116 Kevin Caulfield RW  United States Boston College (NCAA)
6 143 Henrik Petre D  Sweden Djurgårdens IF-jr. (Allsvenskan)
8 200 Pierre-Luc Therrien G  Canada Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
9 226 Matt Oikawa RW  Canada St. Lawrence University (NCAA)

Farm teams

Portland Pirates

See also

References

  1. https://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_1998.html
  2. "1997–1998 Conference Standings". National Hockey League. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  3. "1997-98 Washington Capitals Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  4. "1997-98 Washington Capitals Roster and Statistics". Hockey-Reference.com.
  5. "1997 NHL Draft". NHL. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
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