Vegas Golden Knights Top Washington Capitals In Game One Of Stanley Cup Final

Vegas Golden Knights defeat the Washington Capitals in game one of the Stanley Cup Final.

All of the media day and full capacity practice nonsense is over. The Vegas Golden Knights and Washington Capitals are ready to battle it out at T-Mobile Arena. Only one of these franchises will win Lords Stanley Cup.

The Capitals are going with the same lineup from game seven against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Devante Smith-Pelly and Brooks Orpik suffered injuries last Wednesday in Tampa, but both appeared fine to play in game one against Vegas. Naturally, Braden Holtby earns the start after going on an incredible run in these playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights are also going with the same lineup they eliminated the Winnipeg Jets in game five. Malcolm Subban is still sidelined with an injury, and Maxime Lagace will assume backup goalie duties. However, the goalie that’s getting the starter’s crease is also a Conn Smythe Trophy candidate, Marc-Andre Fleury.

Let me start off with the intro to this game. Michael Buffer announced the starting lineups for each side in this game, and it was terrific. Check out the highlights here:

The first period started off with lots of hitting and physicality. Andre Burakovsky took a boarding call early on in the first period. And the Golden Knights power play not only went to work, but they got on the board.

After an entry from Erik Haula, he dropped it for Colin Miller who unleashed an absolute bomb from the point to give Vegas a 1-0 lead. His third goal of the playoffs gave the building a ton to cheer about early on. However, the collective energy went from 100 to zero real quick.

Seven minutes later, the Caps answered when Michal Kempny took a shot from the point and deflected off of Brett Connoly’s stick and in the net. Connolly’s fifth of the playoffs evened the game up at one. However, Washington wasn’t done adding to the scoreboard.

After a pretty passing play from TJ Oshie and Jakub Vrana, it was Nicklas Backstrom who barely lifted the puck over an outstretched Fleury.  Backstrom’s playing an injured hand, although it didn’t stop him from scoring his fifth of the postseason and giving the Capitals a 2-1 lead. But once again, Vegas responded once again and never quit on their forecheck.

After a shooting gallery ensued, Reilly Smith missed the net, but William Karlsson picked up the puck from behind the net and surprised Holtby for his seventh goal of the playoffs. A true heads-up play by the number one center on this team. Little plays like that are going to make a difference in this series.

After one period, the Golden Knights and Capitals went into the dressing room tied at two. Total dominance by the Golden Knights in the offensive zone but the Capitals on their limited scoring chances. Shots were 11-10 in favor of the Golden Knights in the opening frame.

The second period started off with a bang as well off the rush from Deryk Engelland. Engelland threw the puck on net and as did Jonathan Marchessault, but it was Smith who slammed one past Holtby thanks to the terrific feed from a pinching Engelland. His third of the playoffs gave Vegas a temporary 3-2 lead.

John Carlson returned the favor thanks to the no-look playmaking ability of TJ Oshie. Fleury committed to Oshie shooting the puck; he instead found Carlson who was wide open thanks to poor defensive coverage from Smith. His fourth of the playoffs tied the game heading into the third period.

Even though the Golden Knights dominated the shot count at 14-8 in the middle frame, Washington was the better team even strength during the second period. However, both goalies didn’t look particularly sharp to open this series.

The third period started off with the Capitals gaining momentum and scoring almost immediately. Tom Wilson initially throws the puck on net and Fleury made the stop, but he lost where the puck was. He backed the puck into his own net, and that gave the Capitals a 4-3 lead. But a little more than two minutes later, Vegas responded again.

After scoring his first Golden Knights goal in game five against Winnipeg, he notched another one at a crucial time. A scramble ensued in front of Holtby’s crease, and that’s when Ryan Reaves cross-checked Carlson to create separation and roofed one past Holtby to tie the game at four. The referee’s missed the call, though it went unnoticed. Reaves second of the playoffs rejuvenated the “fortress” at T-Mobile Arena.

After minutes of back and forth play, it was Vegas that answered the bell. Smith-Pelly’s skate guard came loose, and that allowed Shea Theodore to dance around him and find a wide-open Tomas Nosek for the go-ahead goal. His second of the playoffs ultimately decided the game as Vegas shut the door from there.

The Capitals had a late push with the goalie pulled, and Lars Eller had an open net to shoot it at, but the puck went off the heel of his stick. The Caps didn’t get a quality scoring chance from there as Nosek sealed the game with an empty-netter. Furthermore, the fourth line of the Golden Knights left their stamp on this game.

Overall, this was an incredible hockey game from start to finish, and it had everything. The Vegas Golden Knights weren’t sharp defensively, and Fleury wasn’t his best, but Vegas pulled through for a 1-0 series lead.

Vegas Hockey Knight’s Three Stars

3rd Star) Shea Theodore- One assist, +2 rating, one shot on goal in 21:52 TOI.

2nd Star) Ryan Reaves- One goal, +2 rating, three shots on goal, three hits in 9:46 TOI.

1st Star) Tomas Nosek- Two goals, +3 rating, three shots on goal, three hits in 12:22 TOI.

Next: Vegas Golden Knights: Three Stanley Cup Final Predictions

All in all, the most important thing is the Vegas Golden Knights got the first win of the Stanley Cup Final off their backs. Now they can focus on the task at hand and try to take game two back at T-Mobile Arena. Catch puck drop at 5 PM PT on NBCSN.