After a long and grueling NHL postseason, it has come down to the final two teams in the ultimate battle for the Stanley Cup! Head coach Gerard Gallant and his show stopping Vegas Golden Knights are leading the way for the Western Conference while coach Barry Trotz, along with his Washington Capitals, are taking charge from the Eastern Conference in the final round for hockey glory.
The Vegas Golden Knights have been quite the Cinderella story this hockey season. They are the first expansion team in NHL history to not only make the playoffs in their inaugural season, but make it as far as the Stanley Cup final. Vegas bested the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, and Winnipeg Jets to get to this point. Marc-Andre Fleury has been the backbone of this team, pushing them every single night. The 33-year-old Canadian goaltender is also aiming for his third consecutive Stanley Cup, winning the previous two with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Can Fleury three-peat?
On the other side of things, the Washington Capitals have been quite the tale this postseason. Many fans, insiders, as well as players themselves, wondered if the so-called “second round curse” would finally be broken. After defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets in round one, the Capitals knew they had a big test coming with the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins on the schedule. The curse was finally broken as the Capitals defeated the Penguins in six games, followed by besting the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven to reach the final series of the season. Captain Alex Ovechkin has many impressive titles to his resume: Art Ross trophy, Maurice Richard trophies, and endless more. Will the Russian rifle finally add Stanley Cup champion to that list?
The 2018 Stanley Cup final kicks off Monday night in Sin City, Las Vegas, for game one. It will be one of hockey’s most intriguing, interesting, and exciting series yet. Fleury with a fourth ring? Ovi with his first? Let the puck drop!
