Washington Capitals Win Game Four 6-2
The Washington Capitals have defeated the Las Vegas Golden Knights 6-2 in game four of the Stanley Cup. The Capitals are now one win away from winning the clubs first Stanley Cup championship in the franchises 42 years.
The Capitals are trying to create history instead of repeating it. The Capitals now go to Vegas Thursday, and if they win they will finally break the curse and Ovechkin will finally get to raise the cup as the first Russian Captain to win the Stanley Cup. This win was a statement that they are not these juggernaut team rolling over teams this playoffs. The Capitals are playing hungry and want the cup!
The hockey gods looked out for the Capitals tonight. Vegas had a lot of great chances to score; especially in the first period. Golden Knights forward James Neal had an open net and hit the crossbar. These type of plays usually never happen to the Caps.
After a bad first 10 minutes TJ Oshie started the goal scoring on the power-play showing off his amazing dangling skills for a 1-0 lead. The Caps didn’t stop they got goals from Tom Wilson and Davonte Smith-Pelly battling hard in front of the net to give the Caps a 3-0 lead after the first.
The second period was hard with a lot of hits and great goaltending was shown from Braden Holtby as he had all playoffs. John Carlson scored the fourth goal of the game when he realized an absolute bomb in Alex Ovechkins office while on the power-play.
In the third period the Capitals had a 4-0 lead and actually let in two goals for a 4-2 lead after James Neal and Riley Smith scored goals early in the first 10 minutes of the period that kind of worried fans. The Capitals didn’t panic and capitalized on great chances. Micheal Kempny scores his second goal of the playoffs after getting a great pass from Nicklas Backstrom for a 5-3 lead.
The Golden Knights then showed a classes act by putting out goons on their top lines in Ryan Reaves and Braden McNabb going out to fight Capitals players. McNabb went after Oshie that resulted in 10 minutes misconducts to get them out of the game, and Raves went after Tom Wilson. Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant was trying to spark his team going to game 5, but showed to be a total jerk with these moves at the end of the game.
First star of the game has to go to Evgeny Kuznetsov. He had four assist, and seems to be playing better after being injured in Vegas from a cheap shot from McNabb. Second star has to go to Braden Holtby.
Holtby played another MVP type of performance stopping 28 of 30 shots and was lights out yet again. Holtby has been outplaying Mark-Andre Fleury and could be a potential Conn Smyth winner. All the talk going into the Stanley Cup Finals was how Fleury was going to be the obvious winner for the Conn Smyth being the Stanley Cup Finals MVP, but Holtby, Ovechkin and Kuznetsov are now the favorites to win.
Third star of the game has to go to Brooks Orpik. Orpik has been one of the best players for the Capitals in the playoffs, and doesn’t get the credit because he doesn’t score enough even though he did score one goal so far this series, but scoring goals has never been his game.
Orpik is 38 years old and his a hitting and shot blocking machine. He’s a prime example of the definition of grit. Orpik finished the game with six blocked shots and six hits. He is leading by example, and is the reason why he’s an assistant captain of the team and the true leader of the Capitals defense. He’s the only player on the Capitals with a Stanley Cup ring, and he’s making his presence known.
Capitals fans where also amazing tonight. You can tell the city and fan base wants a cup as much as the players. Over 15,000 showed up tonight for the viewing party outside the Capital One arena going crazy for the win. Capitals fans are making ESPN writer Micheal Wilbon eat his own words calling this city a minor league sports town!
Game five will be played in Vegas Thursday night, and if the Capitals will they will finally win the Stanley Cup for the first time since becoming a team in 1972. Not only that, but this would be the first championship in DC in 26 years since the Washington Redskins won a Super Bowl in 1992. #ALLCAPS let’s go!!
