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Michal Neuvirth seeks revenge, Flyers' survival vs. Braden Holtby, Capitals

Michal Neuvirth seeks revenge, Flyers' survival vs. Braden Holtby, Capitals

Every postseason, Washington Capitals fans have their minds drift to that dark corner labeled “worst case scenarios.”

What’s it going to be this time? Inexplicable sputtering offense? Inexplicable bad luck? Inexplicable hot opposing goaltender? Ugh, they’ve seen that last movie before.

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So while the Capitals are very much in the driver’s seat and very much poised to make short work of the Philadelphia Flyers in five games with a win at home on Friday night in Game 5, a nightmare lurks in that dark corner: Michal Neuvirth, their former goaltender, coming back to lead a reverse sweep and end the Capitals’ Stanley Cup dreams.

Hey, more soul-crushing things have happened to this team. But not many.

Before his 31-save effort led the Flyers to a 2-1 Game 4 victory over the Capitals, the only other time he saw Washington in the playoffs was an 11-minute cameo almost one year ago: Replacing Jaroslav Halak as the Caps throttled the New York Islanders, 5-1.

Neuvirth left the Islanders for slightly more money than they ended up giving Thomas Greiss to replace him, signing with the Flyers for two years and $3.25 million. His desire was to find a starting job in the NHL; his friend Jake Voracek sold him on the Flyers, even as Steve Mason was to get the majority of the starts. But Neuvirth got his share, going 18-8-4 with a .924 save percentage in one of his best seasons as a pro.

It was Neuvirth’s desire to start that also led him out of Washington.

His journey with the Capitals was a challenging one. The 2010-11 season was the only one in which Neuvirth was given a shot at being the starter. But after posting a .912 save percentage in nine playoff games, the Capitals opted to bring in Tomas Vokoun in the following season. The following season, it was Holtby that received the majority of the starts.

What Holtby was given that Neuvirth never received: Time to incubate. He and Varlamov were thrown into the fire as young players while Holtby was brought along carefully, as the Capitals projected Holtby as the best young goalie in the system.

From the Washington Post:

By the end of the 2011-12 season, Coach Dale Hunter toggled between Holtby and Neuvirth, alternating based on the team’s result the previous game. Under Coach Adam Oates, Holtby had ascended to the top role by the end of the 2012-13 season, but in late April 2013, the Capitals re-signed Neuvirth to a two-year, $5 million contract, which then had him making more than Holtby. Neuvirth said in The Post that he didn’t feel like a backup.

“I feel I’m better than that, and that’s why they offer me more money than the backups in the league,” Neuvirth said then. By the end of the next season, he was traded.

In fairness, he asked out: Requested a trade in the 2013-14 season, and eventually ending up with the Buffalo Sabres. Holtby started 45 games that season, and has since blossomed into a Vezina-worthy workhorse.

Now they face each other, with Holtby’s team looking to eliminate the Flyers, and Neuvirth looking to lead them back from the abyss against his, ahem, former backup.

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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