Around the NHL: Previewing a Capitals-Golden Knights Stanley Cup Final

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The 2018 Stanley Cup Final is set to begin on Monday night with two potential first-time winners. The Washington Capitals make their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 1998. The Vegas Golden Knights continue an amazing first year with a Stanley Cup Final appearance in their inaugural season. 

Here is a preview of the series, including each team’s top two candidates for Conn Smythe, how they got to the Final and what they need to do to win the Cup. 

Washington Capitals

How They Got Here

The Washington Capitals were finally able to exorcise the demons of playoffs past and reach the pinnacle of success. For long-time members of the team like Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and head coach Barry Trotz, that was already a monkey off the back as it was.

But there's unfinished business for this team. This is a team that has allowed an unwavering confidence to allow them to reach this mark.

In the first-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Capitals fell behind 2-0 in the series, losing the first two games at home no less. They won the next two on the road and then took the two after that as well to move on.

That set up a date with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the two-time defending champions and a team that always had Washington's number in the playoffs. Finally, Washington was able to get the last laugh.

Pittsburgh did win Game 1, but Washington got back on top in the series with a win on home ice in Game 2 and a win in Pittsburgh in Game 3. Pittsburgh evened the series in Game 4 at home, but Washington didn't fold after a little adversity.

The Capitals weathered the storm against the Penguins in Game 5, falling behind 3-2 after two periods before scoring four goals in the third, including the game-winner by Jakub Vrana with 4:38 left in the third period, to take a 3-2 series lead.

The Caps were finally able to finish off the Penguins in a playoff series in Game 6. On the road, Washington got the game to overtime and again found a way to hold off the Penguins before Evgeny Kuznetsov scored on a breakaway to end the series.

It was on to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time for Ovechkin and company, but against the East's top team in the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

This was another interesting series from Washington's perspective. They stormed out to convincing wins in the first two games on the road, taking a 2-0 series lead. Upon returning home, Washington lost both games on home ice as Tampa evened up the series.

Home ice finally came into play in Game 5, as Tampa claimed a 3-2 win to put the Capitals on the brink.

Washington answered the bell, getting a 3-0 win on home ice in Game 6 to force a deciding Game 7. In Game 7, Ovechkin's early goal at 1:02 set the tone. Andre Burakovsky added two goals, Braden Holtby was perfect in net and Washington was on their way to the Stanley Cup Final.

Conn Smythe Leaders

If forced to pick one, it's probably Ovechkin. He's been a tremendous leader for this team for years, but as the journey continues through round that not even the Great 8 has played in, he's been even more of a cheerleader for his teammates while still having a huge impact on the ice with a team-leading 12 goals and 22 points.

The only player who may come close to being the pick is Kuznetsov. Kuznetsov leads the team with 24 points in the playoffs. But Ovechkin's career is so storied already that if he were to make it to the finish line, he probably should be the pick.

What the Capitals Need to Do to Win

Washington's success in the playoffs has come off of aggressive forechecking and contributions from depth players. The Capitals cannot allow this series to be won through the top line. Ovechkin and Kuznetsov are still the top contributors, but how many big goals in these playoffs have been scored by third or fourth-line players that made a difference. At the same time that Ovechkin is scoring big goals, so are Devante Smith-Pelly, Brett Connolly, Jakub Vrana and Alex Chaisson. 

A lot of that success is simply coming off hard work and physical play. That might be the secret to slowing down Vegas, a team that runs off speed and came attack quickly. Slow them down, and you have a chance.

Washington is also going to need Braden Holtby to be on his game. The goalie on the other side has been phenomenal in the playoffs, so goals may not come easily in this series. Holtby will need to be sharp as well to keep Washington in a few games.

Vegas Golden Knights

How They Got Here

It's the best story in sports. Vegas, the first-year expansion team, was defined by the tragedy of the Vegas shooting in October, before the team even took the ice for a regular-season game. Once they did, they became a release for the community and won over the entire city of Las Vegas.

Vegas got off to a hot start and never really looked back. They led the way in the Pacific Division for the entire season, but the playoffs would surely be a different story, right?

Vegas swept through the Los Angeles Kings, defeated the San Jose Sharks in six games and then took down the Winnipeg Jets in five games. Next stop: the Stanley Cup Final.

So how did it happen? Tremendous teamwork and an attitude that was indifferent to all the critics and just focused on their game. No one gave this team much of a chance to truly compete. Sure, they might have a better opportunity to be in the playoff picture in year one than most expansion teams, but a Stanley Cup Final run didn't seem possible.

With this team, expect the impossible. They keep defying the odds and finding a way.

Conn Smythe Leaders

Marc-Andre Fleury, Marc-Andre Fleury and Marc-Andre Fleury. It might not matter who wins the series, Fleury could be the pick anyway. He's been that good.

Fleury has a 12-3 record with a 1.68 GAA and .947 save percentage in the playoffs, including four shutouts. Numbers like that are unheard of. If Vegas is able to finish off this incredible story, he's the center of it all.

If there had to be a second place on this list, it would easily be Jonathan Marchessault. Of any position player, Marchessault has made the biggest impact with eight goals and 18 points to lead the team. More than that, aside from Fleury, Marchessault is probably the only player on Vegas in the playoffs who has carried his team to a win at some point. He has gotten more dominant as the playoffs have progressed. 

What the Golden Knights Need to Do to Win

Stay the course. Perhaps the biggest challenge the Golden Knights are facing now is that the entire hockey world truly is watching now. You have to imagine there were still some doubters and naysayers who dismissed the idea of Vegas being here. Now that they are here, there are hockey fans around the country who want to see them finish it off and others who don't want to see a first-year expansion team win the Cup in their first season. That's a lot of new attention.

But what Gerard Gallant has instilled in this team has them where they are now. The players have bought in from the start and played with a chip on their shoulder in the wake of being misfits to their previous teams. There is really nothing different here. They are still misfits and still being dismissed. Win the series and the Cup and no one will be dismissing this team anymore.

To get it done, they just need to keep getting contributions from up and down the lineup. Vegas' top line is tremendous, but it has been at its best when the other lines are also providing offense. 

That goes for Fleury as well. He's been a tremendous story of his own this season and has a chance to finish it off. He's been such a key to Vegas' success all season and that won't change in this series.

Lastly, while it's hard to point out a weakness for Vegas, staying out of the box is important against Washington, simply because you don't want to allow John Carlson, T.J. Oshie and Ovechkin good looks that often in the series.

Otherwise, Vegas just needs to stay with what got them to this point. That could be enough to finish off this historical story.