Photo: NHL via Getty Images

The Washington Capitals beat the Vegas Golden Knights 6-2 Monday night at Capital One Arena. The win gives the Capitals a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 5 is set for Thursday night in Las Vegas. Puck drop is 8:00 p.m.

The Capitals would open with goals from T.J. Oshie, Tom Wilson and Devante Smith-Pelly to take a 3-0 lead into the first intermission. John Carlson would add a power play goal in the second period to make it 4-0 at the second intermission. Vegas would get on the board early in the 3rd period and add second tally midway through the final frame before Michal Kempny would add a Capitals tally to make it 5-2. Brett Connolly would add a 5-on-3 power play goal to make it 6-2, for the final.

STARTERS
Braden Holtby (14-7, 2.13 GAA, .922 sv%) started between the pipes for the Capitals. Marc-Andre Fleury (13-5, 1.95 GAA, .937 sv%) started in goal for the Knights. The Capitals starting forward lines and defensive pairs for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals:

Forward lines:
Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
Burakovsky-Eller-Connolly
Stephenson-Beagle-Smith-Pelly
Defensive Pairs:
Kempny-Carlson
Orlov-Niskanen
Orpik-Djoos

Scratches: Alex Chiasson, Madison Bowey, Jakub Jerabek, Shane Gersich, Travis Boyd Nathan Walker and Pheonix Copley.

FIRST PERIOD
The Capitals struck first with a power play goal from T.J. Oshie at 9:54 of the first period. Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom were credited with the assists.

The Capitals would stretch their lead to 2-0 with a goal from Tom Wilson at 16:26 of the opening frame. The goal was setup by a beautiful give-and-go from Kuznetsov and Ovechkin.

The Capitals would do it again, this time Devante Smith-Pelly would get the tally at 19:39 to give the Caps a 3-0 lead at the first intermission.

Vegas led in shots on goal 11-10 for the first 20 minutes. Hits were tied 14-14. Caps won the battle at the dot 64-36%. Vegas was 0 for 1 and the Capitals 1 for 1 on the man advantage after 20 minutes.

SECOND PERIOD
The Capitals would extend their lead to 4-0 with a power play goal from John Carlson at 15:23 of the middle frame. Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie were credited with the helpers.

The period would conclude with the Capitals leading 4-0 after two periods of play. Vegas outshot Washington 11-5 for the second period, and led 22-15 after 40 minutes of play.

THIRD PERIOD 
The Knights would finally get on the scoreboard with a goal from James Neal at 5:43 of the final frame. The goal came just as a Knights power play had expired.

The Knights would make it 4-2 with a goal from Reilly Smith at 12:26 of the final period.

Michal Kempny would restore the three goal lead with a goal at 13:39 of the final frame. Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie were credited with the helpers.

Brett Connolly would add a 5-on-3 power play goal to make it 6-2, and that would be the final.

SHAVINGS

• Washington had six different goal scorers (Oshie, Wilson, Smith-Pelly, Carlson, Kempny and Connolly). Kuznetsov had four assists and leads the NHL with 31 points in the playoffs. Backstrom had three assists. Oshie had three points too (one goal, two assists).
• With four assists, Evgeny Kuznetsov became just the fifth player since 1997 to record at least 30 points in a single postseason.
• Capitals went 3-0 in Columbus, 2-1 in Pittsburgh and 3-1 in Tampa. If they beat Vegas Thursday will have a winning record at all four playoff opponents and home.
• Teams that take a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup⁠ ⁠Final hold an all-time record of 32-1. The 1942 Maple Leafs were the only team to overcome the deficit, after coming back from a 3-0 hole to defeat the Red Wings.
• John Carlson scored to boost his all-time postseason totals to 18-36—54 and match Calle Johansson (12-42—54) for the @Capitals franchise record for most playoff points by a defenseman.
• The NHL box score is here.

SCENES FROM THE DISTRICT

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WHAT A SCENE! A massive crowd is on hand outside of Capital One Arena for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final! (📸: DiorNFLPA/Twitter) #ALLCAPS . . . . . #washingtoncapitals #washingtoncaps #washington #dc #capitals #caps #vegasgoldenknights #lasvegas #vegas #goldenknights #knights #nhl #hockey #capitalonearena #stanleycup #stanleycupplayoffs #stanleycupfinal #stanleycupfinals #alexovechkin #alexanderovechkin #ovechkin #ovi #rockthered #nationalportraitgallery

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