The Capitals have come a long way since getting swept as the eighth seed by the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers a year ago.

The juggernaut Washington Capitals proved to be too much to handle for a young Montreal Canadiens team. The Capitals, who finished second overall in the regular season, were able to defeat the Canadiens in five games.

The Washington Capitals are heading to the second round for the first time since 2018 after a Game 5 victory against the Montreal Canadiens.