Washington (0-0) at Vegas (0-0)
When: Monday, May 28th 2018
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: NBC
Opening Odds: Vegas -139/5.5
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After 13 seasons and 607 goals, Alex Ovechkin has finally reached the Stanley Cup Finals. Standing in his and the Washington Capitals way are the first-year Vegas Golden Knights, who are turning into everyone’s darlings during their improbable run. The teams will drop the puck in Game 1 of their best-of-seven series Monday night from The Strip in Las Vegas. The Golden Knights needed only 15 games to dispatch Los Angeles, San Jose and Winnipeg in the Western Conference playoffs to give themselves a full week off before facing the Capitals. Veteran goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who has a .947 save percentage in the playoffs and four shutouts, leads the way for Vegas while Jonathan Marchessault boasts eight goals to along with 18 points in the postseason. Washington, which lost both meetings with the Golden Knights in the regular season, are making their first appearance in the finals since 1998 while seeking their first Cup after losing in the second round of the playoffs as the Presidents’ Trophy winners in 2016 and 2017. Washington lost the first two games of the playoffs at home before beating Columbus in six, eliminated its nemesis Pittsburgh and won at Tampa Bay in Game 7 on Wednesday. The Capitals have converted 28.8% of their power-play chances in the playoffs and Vegas has killed off 82.5% – both best among the final four teams. This is the first finals in 11 years and the sixth in NHL history to match two teams both going after their first Stanley Cup.
Ovechkin is leading the way for Washington with 12 goals and 22 points in the playoffs after scoring the winner in Game 7 on Wednesday. Fellow Russian Evgeny Kuznetsov has a franchise-record 24 playoff points this season and owns at least one in 10 straight games (six goals). Defenseman Brooks Orpik is the only Washington player with Stanley Cup finals experience and he’s having his best career postseason with three assists and an NHL-best +15 rating. Braden Holtby is 12-6-0 in the playoffs with a 2.04 goals-against average and .924 save percentage after posting shutouts in the last two games.
Fleury won three Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh, including the last two seasons, and veteran forward James Neal reached the finals with Nashville in 2017 to give Vegas two players with plenty of big game experience. Center William Karlsson, who has 13 points in the playoffs after scoring 43 goals in the regular season, is part of a potent first-line for Vegas that includes Marchessault and Reilly Smith, who is tied for second in the league during the playoffs with 14 assists.
When the Capitals were down three games to two against Tampa Bay, they started applying physical pressure to the Lightning including Ovechkin, and it led them to a pair of shutout victories. That’s the same style of play that will be needed to take care of this pesky Golden Knights team. The Capitals have more depth on offense, which will ultimately win them the Cup, I believe. Washington is 8-2 on the road this postseason and will take down Vegas in Game 1.
Pick: Capitals +125
- Capitals are 6-1 in their last 7 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Capitals are 15-3 in their last 18 road games.
- Capitals are 13-3 in their last 16 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Capitals are 4-1 in their last 5 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Capitals are 4-1 in their last 5 games following a win.
- Capitals are 4-1 in their last 5 vs. Western Conference.
- Capitals are 26-8 in their last 34 Monday games.
- Capitals are 11-4 in their last 15 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Capitals are 24-10 in their last 34 overall.
- Capitals are 50-21 in their last 71 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Capitals are 59-29 in their last 88 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Capitals are 2-5 in their last 7 vs. Pacific.
- Capitals are 0-4 in their last 4 Stanley Cup Finals games.
- Golden Knights are 4-0 in their last 4 overall.
- Golden Knights are 4-0 in their last 4 Monday games.
- Golden Knights are 15-1 in their last 16 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Golden Knights are 7-1 in their last 8 vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Golden Knights are 5-1 in their last 6 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Golden Knights are 4-1 in their last 5 games following a win.
- Golden Knights are 24-7 in their last 31 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Golden Knights are 34-12 in their last 46 home games.
- Golden Knights are 5-2 in their last 7 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Golden Knights are 36-15 in their last 51 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Golden Knights are 15-7 in their last 22 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Under is 3-0-2 in Capitals last 5 overall.
- Under is 2-0-2 in Capitals last 4 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 3-0-2 in Capitals last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 10-1-1 in Capitals last 12 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Under is 12-2 in Capitals last 14 vs. Pacific.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Capitals last 6 road games.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Capitals last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Over is 7-2-1 in Capitals last 10 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 3-1-2 in Capitals last 6 games following a win.
- Over is 22-8-3 in Capitals last 33 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 8-3-1 in Capitals last 12 Monday games.
- Under is 5-1 in Golden Knights last 6 Monday games.
- Under is 5-1 in Golden Knights last 6 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Golden Knights last 6 overall.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Golden Knights last 6 vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Golden Knights last 6 games following a win.
- Over is 4-1 in Golden Knights last 5 home games.
- Under is 4-1 in Golden Knights last 5 vs. Metropolitan.
- Under is 8-3-1 in Golden Knights last 12 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 12-5-2 in Golden Knights last 19 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
