from Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,

First, the odds: Teams that have won Game 5 have won 78.9 percent of the best-of-seven series in the Stanley Cup playoffs, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

With a 3-2 lead going into Game 6 on Monday night, the Capitals are positioned to eliminate the Penguins, end their quest to three-peat as Stanley Cup champions and make for an uncomfortable scene in the handshake line at PPG Paints Arena.

Now, the history. When it comes to hockey, Washington has been our whipping boy.

Penguins fans have taken great delight in watching the Capitals win the Metropolitan Division, only to lose to the Penguins in the playoffs. To win the three Cup championships in the Sidney Crosby-Alex Ovechkin era, the Penguins have gone through the Capitals all three times.

That should serve as all of the motivation Washington needs to reverse its curse, which is why Capitals coach Barry Trotz preferred to savor the 6-3 victory Saturday night instead of talking about the chance to clinch.

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