The Stanley Cup Final began on May 28 with the ultimate underdogs taking on the underachieving pitbull and somehow the loveable and new labradoodle puppy already has the more experienced dog in its jaw.
True, they have only played Game 1 so far and looked like it was a back-to-back affair after Vegas Golden Knights forward William Karlsson tied the game at 2-2 to close out the first period. Both teams scored one goal each in the second but it was the third period that made all the difference.
Tom Wilson, the new big pest of the east, scored his fourth goal for the Capitals but the Golden Knights took exception, scoring three goals to end the game at a 6-4 scoreline. Czech forward, Tomas Nosek scored the game-winning goal as well as potting an empty-netter for good measure.
The question is, will the Golden Knights be able to keep this up. They have been defying expectations all year. Most people thought they would finish on the bottom of the table and get a chance at the Rasmus Dahlin sweepstakes in this year’s upcoming NHL Entry Draft. Now they might pick at 30 or 31 depending on how the next two weeks play out for them.
Now they are in the finals, with only goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and forward James Neal having any kind of experience in a Stanley Cup Final.
Then again, the Washington Capitals are overdue to get their hands on the most coveted trophy in the sport. Alexander Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom have been working hard for the past decade to make that happen. Now that Evgeny Kuznetsov is having a hell of a playoff run with 25 points under his belt, it might actually become a reality.
Both goalies are hot though, but Fleury definitely gives the edge to the Golden Knights. His GAA is 1.81 and his SV% is .942. Capitals netminder Brayden Holtby isn’t too far behind in terms of statistics but Fleury has something Holtby doesn’t.
This is his fifth time playing for Lord Stanely in a final and has captured it three times (2009, 2016, 2017 - all with the Pittsburgh Penguins) so he knows what needs to be done and elevate his play to a higher level. So don’t be surprised when the Golden Knights end up parading through the desert with the cup.
Fleury is lethal enough but now that they need to have 60-point players like Erik Haula, David Perron (depending on possible suspension) and James Neal to step up their game.