Remembering the Caps' Miracle On 34th Street

by Stephen Pepper on Dec 23, 2009 2:30 PM EST

As many of our readers prepare for the Christmas holiday, we thought to add to the holiday cheer in the memory of an instant classic in Washington Capitals lore -- today marks the one year anniversary of the improbable comeback at Madison Square Garden. Call it the Miracle on 34th Street, or Alex Ovechkin's first great performance on Broadway. Or just call it tear-jerking beautiful.

On December 23, 2008, the Caps found themselves down 4-0 early in the second period. Then, we saw a singular performance from the Great Eight to spirit the rest of the team to ultimate, overtime victory.

As J.P. observed post-game on the magical night:

Ovechkin potted a fluke goal more than half way through the game to cut the lead to 4-1, then had one of those shifts that teammates rally behind and opponents fear. At the time, it was mentioned in the Open Thread [ ], that "the shift was great, but you kind of hate to waste one like that especially down three," to which I responded, "Setting an example is never a waste." And it wasn't.

The comeback was on, culminating in a dramatic third period performance by Ovechkin, whose unassisted, breakaway goal (second on the night), victimized Henrik Lundqvist, and concluding with "zero-to-hero" Shaone Morrisonn potting his first goal of the season. In overtime. On his birthday. Dogpile at center ice ensued.

And in the goaltending department alone, this game was one for the ages. I wrote adoringly on a Christmas Eve morning:

Early on, Jose Theodore looked far from recovered from his earlier hip flexor injury. He was simply unable to get over to stop Ryan Callahan’s shot, the latter’s first goal of the evening. It looked as if his hip just buckled, and he physically could not avoid over-committing to a first attempt and move left to right into the crease, though his mind willed it so.

Then Brent Johnson takes a turn, the team already blitzed for three against, but finds himself too ill to go on. Sweating, visibly suffering an apparent fever on the bench.

Theo in again. Already under considerable pressure, simmering on a bed of scalding coal briquettes, goes from getting a humiliating hook at the Garden to suddenly holding a teetering ship steady in the third, and finishing up with 19 of 20 shots stopped.

Before that game, the Caps were 0-5-1 at the Garden, since 2004. The Great Eight himself had struggled in his six games played in Manhattan prior to the epic match:

GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	SOG
6	1	1	2	-7	4	27

Since then (including playoffs), the team's gone 3-1-1 under the bright lights of the City, and Ovechkin's shone brighter as well:

GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	SOG
5	3	2	5	3	4	28

Here's hoping for another great Christmas gift tonight for Caps fans this season.

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Comments

I will never forget this. I was at home wrapping presentsand was getting very tempted to change the channel because the game was ruining my wonderful Christmas mood. But then Alex got that one goal in and you could feel the momentum shift in favor of good guys. All wrapping ceased as the game opened up, and I felt as if St Nick had come a night early.

by SethB on Dec 23, 2009 2:36 PM EST reply actions

My story.

I left the house after we went down 4-0 because Kettler had pickup. “Ugh, I’d rather go play than watch this,” I said. Later, I’m on the bench waiting for my next turn on ice (Arlington rink), when one of the rink workers comes over and says “The Caps came back and beat the Rangers!” I was friggin shocked.

My ability to post is only surpassed by my ability to pinch pennies.

by jordanDC on Dec 23, 2009 2:37 PM EST reply actions

Legendary game. The come back. Theo having to come back in and slamming the door shut (did he get a priest to perform an exorcism during intermission?!), “Shaone Freaking Morrisonn?!?!” and the dog pile. It was beautiful.

Fun fact: A popular opinion can still be stupid.

by RedBirdie on Dec 23, 2009 2:42 PM EST reply actions

“He believes, so we believe.” Had to have been the best line of the postgame.

"The Caps fan doesn't say, 'is the glass half full' or 'is the glass half empty'. He wonders when the glass is going to spill."

by gfcaps fan on Dec 23, 2009 4:25 PM EST up reply actions

or best. line. EVER

by SeattleCapsFan on Dec 23, 2009 5:49 PM EST up reply actions

Look at those fans in the stands. It is a collective “you have got to be freakin’ KIDDING me” expression.

If you've read this far...seek help.

by ThePeerless on Dec 23, 2009 2:43 PM EST reply actions

Stunned.

ALEX, FЯEE

by EmilyB on Dec 23, 2009 2:45 PM EST up reply actions

Boooo for the pensblog-esque reference

"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"

by fat_daddyo on Dec 23, 2009 3:04 PM EST up reply actions

That was incredible...

I’ll be happier if St. Nick can deliver a win in regulation time, rather than coming back from 4-0 to win, though… scary stuff! Talk about “cardiac Caps!”

by IRockTheRed on Dec 23, 2009 2:52 PM EST reply actions

No, don’t! I hate that moniker!

My ability to post is only surpassed by my ability to pinch pennies.

by jordanDC on Dec 23, 2009 3:11 PM EST up reply actions

I wasn’t referring to Backstrom….. :-)

by IRockTheRed on Dec 23, 2009 3:42 PM EST up reply actions

I remember my whole family was sitting in our family room watching, and for some sick reason we couldn’t change the channel away from the game, despite being down 4-0. (we must like torture – we are maryland football season ticket holders) The bad game had soured our moods, and we were all getting really nasty with each other. Then Ovi got that one goal, and we started to lighten up a bit. When Shaone scored the OT winner, my whole family was jumping up down celebrating. So many emotions that night.

by terpgrrl on Dec 23, 2009 3:00 PM EST reply actions

I remember that game. I didn’t get to watch it because I was on the train to New York to visit my wife’s family. However, when I got up to Penn Station, all of the Rangers fans were marching around dejectedly. I asked one “who won?” and he just shook his head and said “Washington. It was ugly.”

My heart grew three sizes that day.

by Wheeler on Dec 23, 2009 3:04 PM EST reply actions

Beautiful reference...

With Ovie playing the Grinch and Lundqvist playing Cindy Lou Who.

“Pooh-pooh to the Rags!”
…he was grinchily humming.
“They’re finding out now that no Christmas is coming! They’re just waking up, I know just what they’ll do. Their mouths will hang open a minute or two, then the Rags in New York will all cry, “Boo Hoo Hoo!”

by S h a g g y on Dec 23, 2009 4:34 PM EST up reply actions

Beautiful reference...

With Ovie playing the Grinch and Lundqvist playing Cindy Lou Who.

by S h a g g y on Dec 23, 2009 4:34 PM EST up reply actions

ANOTHER double post fail.

I wonder if I’ve exceeded my quota.

by S h a g g y on Dec 23, 2009 4:36 PM EST up reply actions

Man, that was such a great night to be a Caps fan in NYC. I remember going out in the concourse after the first period and expecting all sorts of verbal jabs being thrown my way- but got nothing. People would look at me, see that I was wearing a Caps jersey, and actually look away. They felt BAD for me. After the Rangers were up 4-0, my friend (Rangers fan) asked if I wanted to leave. I said no, I always stick it out til the end.

I was stunned when Mo scored that goal in OT. And something else magical happened: the Rangers fans in my section all congratulated me on the team’s job well done. (It’ll never happen again.)

by sonia on Dec 23, 2009 3:07 PM EST reply actions

Was I the only one who was basking in the glory that was a disappointed Boomer Esiason?

The only fans I listen to are ones who are willing to listen to the other side and who actually make sense...without being troll-ish.

That being said...GO CAPS! (and Canucks!)

by Steck It Out on Dec 23, 2009 3:10 PM EST reply actions

It hurts me to associate Boomer Esiason with NY

by Doncosmic on Dec 23, 2009 3:52 PM EST up reply actions

Oh yeah, that, too. Loved it.

by patred48 on Dec 24, 2009 11:32 AM EST up reply actions

Certainly better then the game at MSG when Jagr (Caps era) injured his ankle in the first period

by 718CapsFan on Dec 23, 2009 3:14 PM EST reply actions

What an amazing up and down rollercoaster of a game that was! It’s still one of my favorites, one that I pull up on the oh-so-lovely GameCenter archives every now and then when I feel down (starting from when Ovie scores that first goal, of course).

I remember just a few things from actually watching it live. One, I kept saying – jokingly at the time – that there was plenty of time, which is something my dad says whenever we’re losing early. Two, I was kind of astounded by how many Caps fans there seemed to be there – watch after Ovie’s second goal, quite a few people jump to their feet.

And three, moments and mental images don’t get much greater than when Morrisonn scored that OT winner and the whole team collapsed on top of him, and there was Boudreau on the bench watching proudly. Still makes me a little teary-eyed to this day, I’m not going to lie.

/cheeseball moment

by Becca H on Dec 23, 2009 4:23 PM EST reply actions

Boudreau rolling up on the balls of his feet, beaming at his boys—-looked like a man in love. A great sports image I’ll always remember. Now alls we need is some crackers….

by redlineblue on Dec 23, 2009 4:46 PM EST up reply actions

I was there!

When we scored our first to make it 4-1, I yelled, “IT AIN’T OVER!!!”… and the Rags fan next to me smirked and said, “Oh yeah. It’s over.” Ha. Ha. Ha.

The MSG broadcast of the game is on “Keep Until Delete” status on my DVR. Ovechkin literally took that game over. Amazing.

by DonnieKnutts on Dec 23, 2009 4:27 PM EST reply actions

Are you that guy who stood up in the 300s and make the universal choking sign for all the Rags fans to see when the score was 4-3? :D

by sonia on Dec 23, 2009 8:27 PM EST up reply actions

I remember after that game I was watching the game on a hockey streaming channel and a Rangers fan said afterwards, “The Rangers get coal in their stocking for Christmas”.

Rocking the Red since 1975

by CapsFan75 on Dec 24, 2009 12:17 AM EST reply actions

I still have this game on my DVR. I don’t think I have the heart to delete it…

"And next year it will be ours."

by Ovechwin on Dec 24, 2009 12:35 AM EST reply actions

This was also the game after Flyers pounded the Caps in Philly, 7-1 (I was there and refer to it as The Nittymaki Game). So basically the Caps had been outscored 11-1 in a little over four periods of hockey. I remember my girlfriend going to other room, and I kept watching. “It’s only 4-0, they can come back.” Of course, I was saying something similar in Philly.

by patred48 on Dec 24, 2009 11:29 AM EST reply actions