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STATISTICAL ANALYSIS | The NHL switched to the current playoff format, which uses the conference standings to seed teams 1-8, in 1994. Since then, the No. 7 seed has upset the No. 2 seed 15 times.
The Washington Capitals became the 16th No. 7 seed to beat a No. 2 seed on Wednesday night by knocking off the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins, 2-1, in overtime of Game 7. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first series in Stanley Cup history in which all seven games were decided by a one-goal margin, and only the second series to go to overtime in Game 7 with the two teams having scored the same number of goals in the series.
Of the 15 teams before this season that pulled off the upset, 11 never made it out of the second round. The other four went on to the Stanley Cup finals but none were able to hoist the Cup.
| Year | 7-seed | Playoff result |
| 1994 | Washington Capitals | Lost in conference semifinals |
| 1994 | Vancouver Canucks | Lost in Stanley Cup finals |
| 1995 | San Jose Sharks | Lost in conference semifinals |
| 1997 | Edmonton Oilers | Lost in conference semifinals |
| 1998 | Montreal Canadiens | Lost in conference semifinals |
| 1998 | Edmonton Oilers | Lost in conference semifinals |
| 1999 | Buffalo Sabres | Lost in Stanley Cup finals |
| 2000 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Lost in conference semifinals |
| 2001 | Toronto Maple Leafs | Lost in conference semifinals |
| 2001 | Los Angeles Kings | Lost in conference semifinals |
| 2002 | Ottawa Senators | Lost in conference semifinals |
| 2003 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | Lost in Stanley Cup finals |
| 2004 | Montreal Canadiens | Lost in conference semifinals |
| 2006 | Colorado Avalanche | Lost in conference semifinals |
| 2010 | Philadelphia Flyers | Lost in Stanley Cup finals |
| 2012 | Washington Capitals | ??? |
Washington will play the New York Rangers in the second round, which will mark the third time in the past four playoffs these two teams have met. If history is any guide, it's going to be a boom or bust ending for the Capitals.
Follow Neil on Twitter: @ngreenberg | Caps scoring chances
More on the Capitals:
— Ward arrives a hero at Friday’s practice
— Caps to face Rangers in conference semifinals
— Caps are committed to Hunter’s system
— Boswell: Skies clearing for D.C. sports
— Hamilton: Leonsis’s summer is looking better
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12:36 PM ET, 04/27/2012
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