For the first time in the recorded history of mankind, the Washington Capitals have won a Stanley Cup Final game on home ice. With a convincing effort in Game Three, the Caps reasserted control in what’s turning out to be an excellent series.
After a scoreless first, Alex Ovechkin put the Caps up with a glorious diving backhand goal. Evgeny Kuznetsov doubled the lead with a rush goal with Jay Beagle recording an assist for kicks.
Braden Holtby misplayed the puck behind the net, setting up Tomas Nosek for another gimme goal, making it 2-1 early in the third. Devante Smith-Pelly swept in a big pass from Jay Beagle to restore the two-goal hole.
Caps beat Knights 3-1! Caps lead the series 2-1!
- Just a damn fine performance up and down the lineup, from the tough minutes for Orlov-Niskanen to the grinders getting a big goal. This is how you get a championship, somehow.
- Evgeny Kuznetsov was a game-time decision after suffering an upper-body injury. I think, with the benefit of hindsight, that he’s fine. After a neck-check on McNabb (revenge?), Kuznetsov made a that thrilling rush to put the Caps up 2-0 with a perfect wristshot that I think decisively proves he’s alright.
- Kuznetsov got an assist on Alex Ovechkin‘s goal, the opener, the end of a relentless push by the Caps to break the 0-0 shutout in the second period. Break it did, with Ovechkin diving over a Knight to get a backhand touch. It was precisely how hockey in Washington in June should look. Ovi had double-digits shot attempts, most of them coming early.
- Another pregame question mark was Michal Kempny, who crashed into the boards during warmups. He was fine.
That's a good look pic.twitter.com/QfDCPDILMP
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) June 3, 2018
- Unlike Games One and Two, the Caps held Vegas about even in the opening ten minutes, which changed the demeanor of this game entirely, keeping the home crowd involved and enthusiastic. Speaking of, wow:
Watch this before the third period starts. You’re welcome. #ALLCAPS #CapsKnights #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/Uc2V5EvKAk
— Monumental Sports Network (@MonSportsNet) June 3, 2018
- Braden Holtby just absolutely misread the play early in the third, serving the puck almost directly to Tomas Nosek for the fourth-liners’ second goal of the series. I’d say something stern about Holtby here, but I know he’s a harsher critic of himself than any of us loving clowns.
- Devante Smith-Pelly is having a rough series. In Game Three he committed two unnecessary penalties — an interference to nullify Stephenson’s early goal and a trip in the second. That happened in addition to getting positively caved in in shot attempts. I wrote all that before DSP caught a pass from forechecking Jay Beagle to sweep in an important goal. I think that goal, effectively the dagger, more than makes up for a couple PIMs and some shot attempt differential problems. (What a pass from Beags though.)
Houseguest pic.twitter.com/p52tjawhH6
— Peter Hassett (@peterhassett) June 3, 2018
The Caps lead their opponent in the Stanley Cup Final. That’s– that’s never happened before. Feels good, man.
I watched this game surrounded by friends and a bulldog, with pizza and beer and maybe a little scotch, talking about the joy and pain we’ve felt from our lifetimes of following this silly hockey team. Tonight, that team is closer than they’ve ever been to a championship, and we’re a bit closer to each other for having shared the experience. That’s what it’s all about.
This is special. Are you feeling it too?
Headline photo: Bruce Bennett
