"Don't expect them to stay": Fans react to Washington Capitals sneaking into second WC spot

After securing their third consecutive victory, the Washington Capitals clinched the second wild card position in the Eastern Conference, edging past the idle Detroit Red Wings by a single point. This marks the Capitals' first playoff spot since Jan. 2.

Alex Ovechkin's historic achievement of scoring 20 goals in 19 consecutive seasons, with two power-play goals against the Calgary Flames secured a crucial 5-2 victory.

The team's recent surge, highlighted by three consecutive wins, has fans optimistic about their playoff prospects. Key contributions from players like Dylan Strome, Hendrix Lapierre and Tom Wilson further fuel this optimism. Goalie Charlie Lindgren's stellar performance boasts a .956 save percentage in recent games.

Fans are reacting on X, formerly Twitter, about the Washington Capitals' recent display. Many wonder if this ranking can endure­ throughout the season:

Fans are abuzz with speculation about players' on-ice success:

Some reacted by saying that the Capitals are somehow in this spot:

Additionally, Washington Capitas' improved power play, now ranked third-best in the league, bodes well for their playoff push.

Washington Capitals Dominate Flames in 5-2 Victory: Ovechkin leads charge with 2 goals

The Washington Capitals wasted no time asserting their dominance, as Dylan Strome fired a precise wrist shot past Calgary's goaltender at 14:59 of the first period, giving Washington an early 1-0 lead.

As the game progressed into the second period, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin further solidified his team's advantage. At 5:58 on the power play, Ovechkin expertly redirected Max Pacioretty's centering pass into the net, extending Washington's lead to 2-0.

Ovechkin wasn't done yet, as he struck again at 9:16 with another power-play goal, unleashing a powerful one-timer from the top of the right circle to make it 3-0 in favor of the Capitals.

Calgary attempted to mount a comeback when Kevin Rooney tipped in Brayden Pachal's backhander at 10:41 of the second period, narrowing the gap to 3-1. However, Washington swiftly responded, with Hendrix Lapierre scoring at 14:22 off a well-executed backhand pass from Sonny Milano, restoring the Capitals' three-goal lead at 4-1.

In the third period, MacKenzie Weegar managed to pull one back for the Flames at 7:13, beating Washington's goaltender with a blistering slap shot glove side, making it 4-2.

Despite Calgary's late efforts to stage a comeback, Washington's Tom Wilson sealed the victory by scoring into an empty net at 17:31, securing the 5-2 win for the Capitals.