A dejected Ted Leonsis walked into the freight elevator at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night, minutes after his Washington Capitals had been eliminated from the N.H.L. playoffs on an overtime goal by the Rangers.

The goal had set off pandemonium in the Garden as fans — most of them wearing solid blue or white Rangers jerseys — hugged, yelled and slapped high-fives in celebration.

The noise remained deafening until the elevator door closed. Leonsis, momentarily, could contemplate the heartbreaking, season-ending loss in silence.

He had probably heard that the other team he owns — the N.B.A.’s Washington Wizards — had just lost in almost the same demoralizing style in a playoff game in Atlanta.