1984–85 Washington Capitals season

The 1984–85 Washington Capitals season was the Washington Capitals eleventh season in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Regular season Coming off their most successful season in their NHL history (48 wins, 101 points, second place in the Patrick Division), the Capitals were expected to take over leadership of the division from the New York Islanders, whose fading dynasty was given a blow after the Oilers topped them in the 1984 Stanley Cup Final.

Instead, despite a solid start to the season, the Caps were struggling in the early going to keep up with the surprising Philadelphia Flyers. With a surge around the holidays, Washington ended up snagging first place and with the help of easy games throughout January, extended their division lead to double-digit points by the start of February.

However, the Flyers came breathing down the Caps' necks from there. On February 9, Washington led Philly by 11 points, but a last-second loss to the Flyers at the Capital Centre triggered another battle for the division title.

Although the Capitals didn't falter over the remaining games of the season, they were unable to hold off their scorching neighbors to the north — dropping a key pair of games in a home-and-home set on March 7 at the Spectrum (9–6) and March 8 at home (4–2) – which drew the clubs into a tie for first. Key losses at home to Boston and on the road at Hartford sealed their fate as the Flyers wrapped up the Patrick on March 28 with the Capitals a distant 10 points off the pace.

Despite winning 46 games and posting another 101 point campaign, the Capitals wound up 12 points behind Philly, and won only once in seven games against them (1–5–1).

That didn't take away from the career performances of Mike Gartner and Bobby Carpenter, who became the first Capitals teammates to post concurrent 50 goal seasons. Both Gartner (50) and Carpenter (53) posted career-highs in goal scoring and led a potent offense which tallied 322 times.

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

|1||T||October 11, 1984||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1984–85) ||0–0–1

|2||L||October 13, 1984||2–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1984–85) ||0–1–1

|3||W||October 14, 1984||5–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1984–85) ||1–1–1

|4||W||October 16, 1984||5–3 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1984–85) ||2–1–1

|5||L||October 20, 1984||5–6 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1984–85) ||2–2–1

|6||T||October 24, 1984||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1984–85) ||2–2–2

|7||L||October 25, 1984||3–5 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1984–85) ||2–3–2

|8||W||October 28, 1984||5–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1984–85) ||3–3–2

|9||W||October 31, 1984||4–3 OT|| align="left"| Calgary Flames (1984–85) ||4–3–2

|10||W||November 3, 1984||6–4 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1984–85) ||5–3–2

|11||L||November 7, 1984||3–4 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1984–85) ||5–4–2

|12||L||November 9, 1984||5–8 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1984–85) ||5–5–2

|13||T||November 10, 1984||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1984–85) ||5–5–3

|14||T||November 13, 1984||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1984–85) ||5–5–4

|15||L||November 16, 1984||2–3 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1984–85) ||5–6–4

|16||W||November 17, 1984||3–2 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1984–85) ||6–6–4

|17||L||November 20, 1984||3–5 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1984–85) ||6–7–4

|18||T||November 21, 1984||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1984–85) ||6–7–5

|19||L||November 23, 1984||1–5 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1984–85) ||6–8–5

|20||W||November 25, 1984||5–0 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1984–85) ||7–8–5

|21||W||November 27, 1984||9–2 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1984–85) ||8–8–5

|22||W||November 28, 1984||2–1 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1984–85) ||9–8–5

|23||W||December 1, 1984||5–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1984–85) ||10–8–5

|24||W||December 2, 1984||9–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1984–85) ||11–8–5

|25||W||December 4, 1984||4–1 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1984–85) ||12–8–5

|26||L||December 7, 1984||5–7 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1984–85) ||12–9–5

|27||W||December 9, 1984||4–0 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1984–85) ||13–9–5

|28||T||December 11, 1984||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1984–85) ||13–9–6

|29||W||December 12, 1984||3–2 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1984–85) ||14–9–6

|30||W||December 15, 1984||4–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1984–85) ||15–9–6

|31||W||December 16, 1984||6–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1984–85) ||16–9–6

|32||W||December 18, 1984||4–1 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1984–85) ||17–9–6

|33||T||December 20, 1984||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1984–85) ||17–9–7

|34||W||December 22, 1984||7–5 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1984–85) ||18–9–7

|35||L||December 23, 1984||4–7 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1984–85) ||18–10–7

|36||W||December 26, 1984||6–0 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1984–85) ||19–10–7

|37||W||December 27, 1984||5–4 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1984–85) ||20–10–7

|38||W||December 29, 1984||3–2 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1984–85) ||21–10–7

|39||W||January 1, 1985||5–1 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1984–85) ||22–10–7

|40||L||January 4, 1985||3–5 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1984–85) ||22–11–7

|41||W||January 8, 1985||4–2 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1984–85) ||23–11–7

|42||W||January 9, 1985||4–2 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1984–85) ||24–11–7

|43||L||January 12, 1985||3–5 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1984–85) ||24–12–7

|44||W||January 14, 1985||6–3 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1984–85) ||25–12–7

|45||W||January 16, 1985||5–4 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1984–85) ||26–12–7

|46||W||January 17, 1985||6–2 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1984–85) ||27–12–7

|47||W||January 19, 1985||7–1 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1984–85) ||28–12–7

|48||W||January 23, 1985||3–2 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1984–85) ||29–12–7

|49||W||January 26, 1985||5–1 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1984–85) ||30–12–7

|50||W||January 27, 1985||5–2 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1984–85) ||31–12–7

|51||L||January 29, 1985||3–4 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1984–85) ||31–13–7

|52||T||February 1, 1985||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1984–85) ||31–13–8

|53||W||February 3, 1985||6–2 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1984–85) ||32–13–8

|54||W||February 5, 1985||4–1 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1984–85) ||33–13–8

|55||W||February 8, 1985||6–1 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1984–85) ||34–13–8

|56||L||February 9, 1985||4–5 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1984–85) ||34–14–8 |-style=background:#bbbfff |colspan="11"|37th All-Star Game in Calgary, Alberta

|57||L||February 13, 1985||3–5 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1984–85) ||34–15–8

|58||W||February 14, 1985||4–3 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1984–85) ||35–15–8

|59||L||February 16, 1985||2–5 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1984–85) ||35–16–8

|60||W||February 21, 1985||6–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1984–85) ||36–16–8

|61||T||February 23, 1985||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1984–85) ||36–16–9

|62||W||February 26, 1985||3–2 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1984–85) ||37–16–9

|63||W||February 28, 1985||5–4 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1984–85) ||38–16–9

|64||L||March 2, 1985||0–4 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1984–85) ||38–17–9

|65||W||March 5, 1985||4–1 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1984–85) ||39–17–9

|66||L||March 7, 1985||6–9 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1984–85) ||39–18–9

|67||L||March 8, 1985||2–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1984–85) ||39–19–9

|68||L||March 10, 1985||2–3 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1984–85) ||39–20–9

|69||W||March 14, 1985||4–0 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1984–85) ||40–20–9

|70||L||March 16, 1985||4–6 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1984–85) ||40–21–9

|71||W||March 19, 1985||4–1 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1984–85) ||41–21–9

|72||L||March 21, 1985||2–3 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1984–85) ||41–22–9

|73||W||March 22, 1985||3–1 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1984–85) ||42–22–9

|74||W||March 24, 1985||7–3 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1984–85) ||43–22–9

|75||L||March 27, 1985||1–3 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1984–85) ||43–23–9

|76||L||March 28, 1985||2–3 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1984–85) ||43–24–9

|77||W||March 30, 1985||4–3 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1984–85) ||44–24–9

|78||L||April 4, 1985||0–2 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1984–85) ||44–25–9

|79||W||April 6, 1985||7–4 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1984–85) ||45–25–9

|80||W||April 7, 1985||7–3 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1984–85) ||46–25–9

Playoffs

| 1 || 8:05p.m. EST || NY Islanders || 3–4 || Washington || OT || Riggin || Capital Centre || 18,130 || 1–0 ||

| 2 || 8:05p.m. EST || NY Islanders || 1–2 || Washington || 2OT || Jensen || Capital Centre || 17,993 || 2–0 ||

| 3 || 8:05p.m. EST || Washington || 1–2 || NY Islanders || || Jensen || Nassau Coliseum || 16,002 || 2–1 ||

| 4 || 7:05p.m. EST || Washington || 4–6 || NY Islanders || || Jensen || Nassau Coliseum || 16,002 || 2–2 ||

| 5 || 8:05p.m. EST || NY Islanders || 2–1 || Washington || || Riggin || Capital Centre || 18,130 || 2–3 ||

Player statistics

Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG RW 80 50 52 102 711717011 C 80 53 42 95 87201207 RW 80 26 43 69 1420502 D 80 21 44 65 221191605 D 79 13 42 55 5121300 RW 78 16 34 50 3812503 C 76 23 26 49 4819402 RW 51 14 29 43 813613 LW 67 15 23 38 3216011 D 56 11 27 38 4222403 C 80 9 28 37 3219111 RW 78 14 19 33 6910013 RW 57 15 13 28 2311101 D 79 4 22 26 5435001 LW 46 10 15 25 1320010 D 75 3 18 21 3731200 LW 51 6 12 18 728001 RW 22 4 7 11 451001 D 57 0 10 10 215000 C 15 3 4 7 29001 C 12 2 4 6 6-1200 C 44 1 5 6 192000 D 53 1 4 5 5111000 C 11 3 0 3 120000 LW 6 2 1 3 92100 D 13 1 1 2 341000 C 9 1 1 2 2-1000 D 2 1 0 1 01010 C 3 0 1 1 21000 G 12 0 1 1 00000 G 57 0 1 1 20000 G 14 0 0 0 60000 Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LTGAGAA SO 3388 57 28 20 7 168 2.98 2 803 14 10 3 1 34 2.54 1 661 12 8 2 1 31 2.81 1 Team: 4852 80 46 25 9 233 2.88 4

Playoffs Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG RW 5 4 3 7 9101 D 5 2 3 5 0200 C 5 1 4 5 8000 RW 5 1 3 4 0100 RW 5 1 1 2 0000 RW 5 1 1 2 15000 C 5 1 0 1 0001 C 5 1 0 1 2000 LW 5 0 1 1 7000 RW 5 0 1 1 2000 D 5 0 1 1 6000 D 5 0 1 1 4000 D 5 0 1 1 20000 D 5 0 1 1 4000 LW 5 0 0 0 9000 D 2 0 0 0 0000 D 2 0 0 0 0000 D 1 0 0 0 0000 G 3 0 0 0 2000 RW 5 0 0 0 2000 C 1 0 0 0 0000 G 2 0 0 0 0000 LW 4 0 0 0 0000 Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LGAGAA SO 201 3 1 2 8 2.39 0 122 2 1 1 5 2.46 0 Team: 323 5 2 3 13 2.41 0

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG=Power-play goals; SHG=Short-handed goals; GWG=Game-winning goals       MIN=Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; SO = Shutouts;

Draft picks Washington's draft picks at the 1984 NHL entry draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal.

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)117Kevin HatcherNorth Bay Centennials (OHL)234Steve LeachMatignon High School (USHS-MA)359Michal PivonkaPoldi Kladno (Czechoslovakia)480Kris KingPeterborough Petes (OHL)6122Vito CramarossaToronto Marlboros (OHL)7143Timo IljinaKarpat (Finland)8164Frank JooRegina Pats (WHL)9185Jim ThomsonToronto Marlboros (OHL)10205Paul CavalliniHenry Carr Crusaders (MetJHL)11225Mikhail TatarinovSokol Kiev (USSR)12246Per SchederinBrynäs IF (Sweden)

See also 1984–85 NHL season

References