WASHINGTON -- The Washington Capitals, a team breaking hearts every year in the playoffs. . Along comes Adam Oates, and they go farther than ever before in his first full season. That was 1997-98, when the Capitals advanced to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time, when Oates the player had six goals and 11 assists in the post-season. Washington didnt win the title, but it was a historic run for a franchise that had become a playoff regular with the reputation for flaming out early. They had been eliminated eight times in the first round in 14 appearances over 15 years, a 7-14 series record that included only one trip to the conference finals. Its a new millennium, but the Capitals are again in a go-home-early playoff funk. Enter Oates again, this time as a first-time NHL coach. The recent run of futility positively glows when compared to the 90s: Alex Ovechkin and Co. are 3-5 in playoff series since 2008, but they havent advanced past the second round. "What I remember -- it was my first year here," said Oates, who was traded to the Capitals late in the 1996-97 season. "So for me, it was coming in with a clean slate. And its funny, because when you make trades, you come to a new team, you dont know their history, youre not a part of that. So it didnt matter to us." Oates has the same approach as the Capitals prepare for Thursdays Game 1 against the New York Rangers. While the sting of recent playoff defeats still resonates throughout most of the roster -- last years Game 7 loss to the Rangers in the second round is a particularly painful memory -- the coach is letting the past lie in the past. "I ignore it," he said. "Because I wasnt involved in it. And every year is different." Different for him, but the same for most of his players -- particularly in one regard. The Rangers and Capitals are meeting in the playoffs for the third year in a row, and for the fourth time in five years. And what a history it is. In 2009, Rangers coach John Tortorella squirted water at fans and tossed a water bottle into the crowd during Game 5 in Washington and was suspended for Game 6. In 2011, then-Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau riled the New York crowd when he said that Madison Square Garden was "nothing" and that its "reputation is far better than the actual building." Theres was no sideshow last year, just a load of tense hockey. Games 2-7 were each decided by one goal, including a three-overtime Game 3, as the Capitals played a defence-heavy system under coach Dale Hunter. "We felt that maybe we should have won last year," forward Troy Brouwer said. "Weve got a little extra fire in us this year to get the job done." Centre Nicklas Backstrom said Saturday that the Capitals were the better team in that series. That might be bulletin board material in New York, although Rangers defenceman Dan Girardi wasnt taking the bait on Monday. "Were not getting into a war of words," Girardi said. "Theyre playing really well. Like us, they had a really solid April. We expect the series to be hard-fought, with a lot of hitting." Those hard hits will have to wait for a bit. Both teams have a four-day layoff between their final regular season games on Saturday and the beginning of the playoff series, a longer break than either team had during the lockout-crunched season. Washingtons coaches worked all day Sunday preparing for a Tuesday start, only to be caught off guard when the NHL announced the schedule. "Kind of odd. Originally I thought we were starting Tuesday and then you think, well, maybe Wednesday," Capitals forward Matt Hendricks said. "But Thursday, yeah, its a lot of days to sit around and practice." [url=http://www.cheapjerseysmart.us/Nba-Jerseys_Cleveland-Cavaliers-Jersey/]Chea... Cleveland Cavaliers Jerseys . Hector Morales got the first goal in the 7th minute, with de Nigris adding his double in the second half. Chilean international Humberto Suazo set up all three goals. The second leg is scheduled for next Wednesday in Mexico City, with the final to be against either Mexican side Santos Laguna or Toronto, who drew 1-1 in their semifinal first leg. . After that, it will be back to business as usual with Gibsons Arizona club looking for a series victory in the rubber match of a three-game set at Comerica Park. Prior to the game, the Tigers will retire the No. 11 worn by Anderson, who passed away last November at the age of 76. [url=http://www.goodcheapjerseys.com/Nhl-jerseys_Detroit-red-wings-jersey/]http:... .J. -- Rex Ryan bolted out of his office the moment he heard Ed Reed was cut. [url=http://www.wholesalejerseysdeals.com/]wholesale nfl jerseys . Faried is averaging 11.5 points and a team-best 9.2 rebounds. He was hurt Sunday while driving for a layup against Portland. He said he had never felt such pain and initially feared a more serious injury but vowed to play in the post-season. Cheap New York Islanders Jerseys . In second was Jessica Korda, the daughter of former tennis player Petr Korda who won last years Womens Australian Open at Royal Melbourne in a playoff for her first U.S. LPGA Tour victory.WASHINGTON -- Al Thornton has reached a buyout agreement with the Washington Wizards. Team President Ernie Grunfeld announced the move Tuesday, saying the recent additions of Rashard Lewis and Mo Evans combined with Josh Howards return from injury had created a logjam at small forward that made Thornton expendable. Thornton was acquired a year aago from the Los Angeles Clippers. Cheap New York Knicks Jerseys. He started 23 games this season and was averaging 8.0 points, but he had been used sparingly over the past month, in part because of a dislocated right middle finger. Thornton is the second player in two days to reach a buyout deal with the Wizards. Mike Bibby bought out his contract on Monday. ' ' '