Bad beats. Anytime I hear anyone say there’s no such thing, that all that matters is the win or the loss, I just shake my head. That’s an absurd observation. Tracking right side losers and wrong side winners is a window into whether one is getting the job done in terms of pre-game analysis.
I’m not sure where to file the loss on Tuesday night by the Washington Capitals. It’s not really a bad beat, as the game was a coin flip from start to finish. So I can’t say that I had the right side, although I certainly didn’t have the wrong side. But there’s no question that from a pure aggravation standpoint, this might well be one of the all-time toppers.
In case you missed it, the Caps and Florida Panthers were tied at 1-1 after regulation as well as following the five minute overtime. That’s when history proceeded to unfold in the most amazing shootout the league has even seen.
The Caps and Panthers went through an unfathomable 20 rounds of shootout attempts. That’s a record. Washington was batting first throughout, and the Capitals took the lead on five occasions during this epic, only to surrender the tying goal each and every time. That’s just insane.
From an excitement standpoint, this was sensational, even for those of us who treat the entire shootout deal with disdain. But losing it the way it unfolded was absolute torture. So maybe it’s not a true bad beat. But it sure felt like one, and one for the ages at that.
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