2018 Stanley Cup Finals Preview

The time has arrived. After a playoff tournament that started with sixteen teams, we are now down to the final two. Over the next two weeks, and possibly seven games, we will decide who the best team in the National Hockey League is for the 2017-18 season. History will be made in this year's finals. For the first time since 2007, we've got two teams playing in search of their first ever Stanley Cup Title. One team is in its first year of operation, while the other has been around since 1975 and is making their second ever finals appearance. This has been a fairytail run for both teams. One an expansion franchise that nobody expected to get this far. The other is a team who hasn't been able to get out of its own way and has been snakebitten by not getting out of the second round in recent years. Here we sit, the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals have arrived and here's how we see it going down.

This year's finals pit the Western Conference Champion Vegas Golden Knights taking on the Eastern Conference Champion Washington Capitals. Washington earned 105 points during the regular season, which was good enough to win the Metropolitan Division. In the first round of playoffs, Washington came back from a 2–0 series deficit to win four in a row to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets in six games. They followed that up with a six game series win in the 2nd round against their division rival Pittsburgh Penguins. Washington then defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals in seven games, winning game seven on the road for only the second time in franchise history and first since 2012. This is the 2nd ever trip to the finals for the Capitals, who were swept by the Detroit Red Wings in their other finals appearance in 1998.

Vegas won the Pacific Division with 109 points. Vegas swept the Los Angeles Kings in four games, defeated the San Jose Sharks in six games, and eliminated the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference Finals in five games. This is the third straight year that a Western Confernce team is making its first trip to the finals, joining the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators. This also marks the 3rd ever appearance for an expansion team in the finals, with the 1918 Toronto Arenas and the 1968 St Louis Blues.

Here's the dates and times for every game in this series:
Game 1: Capitals at Golden Knights on Monday, May 28 (NBC)
Game 2: Capitals at Golden Knights on Wednesday, May 30 (NBCSN)
Game 3: Golden Knights at Capitals on Saturday, June 2 (NBCSN)
Game 4: Golden Knights at Capitals on Monday, June 4 (NBC)
Game 5: Capitals at Golden Knights on Thursday, June 7 (NBC)
Game 6: Golden Knights at Capitals on Sunday, June 10 (NBC)
Game 7: Capitals at Golden Knights on Wednesday, June 13 (NBC)

All games slated to start at 8PM.

Vegas is coming into this final series after having a very strong playoff run in the West, losing only three games en route to the finals. The biggest reason has been the outstanding play of netminder Marc Andre Fleury. In this year's playoffs, Fleury is 12-3, with a 1.68 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage. That save percentage is the highest percentage in post season play since 1982. Fleury's play has kept Vegas in a ton of these playoff games, most nights when it takes the offense a while to get going. Should Vegas win the Cup, there has to be strong consideration for Fleury for winner of the Conn Smyth Trophy as MVP of the playoffs. Fleury's goaltending has allowed the Golden Knights top line of William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith. That unit has combined for 47 points this postseason, this coming after totaling 213 points as a line during the regular season. Vegas doesn't just rely on that top line, though. They get contribution from all four lines. It may not reflect in the scoresheet, but the rolling of four lines has been tough to handle for opposing teams this year. Vegas has the foot speed that few teams, if any, can match this year. Its been throwing off opponents in the playoffs, which is a major reason why the Golden Knights are in the finals.

They are going up against another team that has been riding a wave of momentum into the finals in the form of the Washington Capitals. Washington had to get through two of the more powerful teams in the game today in both the Penguins and Lightning in order to reach this final round. While Felury has been playing, at an MVP level for Vegas, Alex Ovechkin has been doing that for the Capitals. He's got 22 points in 19 games in this years playoffs, only two points back of his linemate Evgeny Kuznetsov. This is going to be a defining series for Ovie, because the greatest career goal that has avoided him during his 13 year run in the league has been a Cup. He's accomplished every thing there is possible to accomplish in this league, except win the big one. He's got his best chance at it now. And he's got the supporting cast around him that can help make a difference. Nicklas Backstrom, TJ Oshie, Kuznetsov, Tom Wilson, they've got a balanced team. They might not be able to match the speed stride for stride with the Golden Knights, but they will be able to use their physical play to be able to slow the team down.

Its going to be a battle of will in this years finals. It's going to be a lot of fun to watch the finals this year, with two teams that play slightly contrasting styles. At the end of the day it comes down to who has the edge and momentum on their side. In this case its the Capitals. Nothing against what Vegas has done, its been an amazing run and they may still have one more surprise left in them. At this moment, Washington seems to have the edge and all the luck going on their side. Sure, they've had to play four more games the the Golden Knights, which could really play in the favor of Vegas. But it might not be enough for the Golden Knights to beat out a more balanced, veteran and physical team.

Prediction: Capitals in 7!