Capitals clinch Presidents' Trophy, home-ice advantage through playoffs
The Washington Capitals are officially the best NHL team of the 2015-16 regular season.
All Locked Up. 🔒 #CapsClinch #PresidentsTrophy #RockTheRed pic.twitter.com/nqOK9cJCnd
— Washington Capitals (@washcaps) March 29, 2016
That distinction was set in stone with a win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, whereby the Capitals clinched both the Presidents' Trophy as the team with the best overall record and home-ice advantage in all four rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs, should they indeed make it that far.
The win gives Washington 113 points with seven games remaining on the schedule. To date, no other team has eclipsed the 100-point mark this season.
With the victory, the Capitals also tied their franchise record for wins, at 54, and a new record will undoubtedly be set before the regular season concludes. And goaltender Braden Holtby is now only two wins from tying Martin Brodeur's single-season record of 48.
Incredibly, the Caps have clinched the Presidents’ Trophy before any other team in the East has clinched a PLAYOFF SPOT. Incredible.
— John Walton (@WaltonCaps) March 29, 2016
The first-place finish comes with a caveat, however, as only eight Presidents' Trophy winners have gone on to win the Cup since the award was introduced in 1986.