For the first time in team history, the Washington Capitals have won the Stanley Cup.
After a long season and playoffs, the Caps have finally shed their choking moniker, and Alex Ovechkin is finally a champion.
With a 3-1 lead heading into Game 5 in Las Vegas, Washington looked to end their championship-less drought. After a scoreless first period, both teams exploded in the second period, scoring five total goals, with the Golden Knights taking a 3-2 lead into the final period.
The Caps fought back in the third, tying up the score at the 9:52 mark when Devante Smith-Pelly found the back of the net. Washington took the lead at the 12:23 mark when Lars Eller scored his seventh goal of the postseason.
For the third straight game, @smithpelly23.
We're all tied up folks. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/uKzli1GoRd
— NHL (@NHL) June 8, 2018
After a flurry of chances near the end, the Caps held on for the 4-3 win, claiming the first championship in franchise history.
First Title
After years of playoff disappointments, the Capitals were finally able to win their first title. With five blown 3-1 series leads in franchise history and only one previous Stanley Cup Final appearance, Washington delivered the D.C. sports fans their first championship since the Redskins in 1992.
Ovechkin Gets His Title
The No. 1 pick of the 2004 NHL Draft, Alexander Ovechkin is finally a Stanley Cup champion. The seven-time NHL goals leader and three-time Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP) winner was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the NHL Playoffs MVP.
Remarkable Inaugural Season
Despite a disappointing end, the Vegas Golden Knights had an inaugural season to remember. They recorded the most points (109) and victories (51) in NHL history for an expansion franchise while winning the Pacific Division title. During the postseason, Vegas defeated Los Angeles, San Jose, and Winnipeg to claim the Calder Trophy as Western Conference champions, becoming the fastest team to reach a Stanley Cup Final.
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Stanley Cup Final: Capitals Win Game 2, Even Up Series With Golden Knights
