There are two simple yet complex questions Washington Capitals fans keep asking themselves after another second round defeat: 'How?' and 'Why?'
This was supposed to be the year. With the Capitals boasting, in all likelihood, the greatest team ever assembled by the franchise, they were supposed to finally get over the hump.
And then, as fans have grown accustomed to, it all came to a screeching halt in Game 7 of Round 2 against the arch rival Penguins.
The simple answer to how and why is Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. He stood on his head throughout the series, including a .926 save percentage at 5-on-5.
The more complex answer is who was shooting the puck, and who wasn't. Nearly 36 percent of Washington's 5-on-5 shot attempts came from defensemen. That's almost twice as high as Pittsburgh, and 10 percent higher than the league average.
And if defenders are taking such a great portion of shots on goal, you know who isn't: Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie, and the rest of the Caps' dynamic offense.
Watch the video below for more.
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