Physically exhausted and emotionally spent, Washington Capitals players arrived at their practice facility on Sunday morning to welcome news. They would not be subject to a mandatory, or even optional, on-ice session; if they wanted to skate, they could, but otherwise, they were asked to relax, regroup and refocus for Monday night.
The mental aspect of the game may be the most crucial for the Capitals, who prepare for a deciding Game 7 in their first-round playoff series against the New York Islanders with the specter of past failures leering over their shoulders.