The Washington Capitals beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The win gives the Capitals the series 4-1 and their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
After a scoreless first frame, the Capitals would open the scoring with a break away goal by Jakub Vrana, but the Knights would answer right back. Alex Ovechkin would notch a power play tally to make it 2-1, but the Knights would answer once again, and add a power play goal in the last minute for a 3-2 lead at the second intermission. The Capitals would tie it mid way through the final frame with a goal from Devante Smith-Pelly and re-take the lead with a goal from Lars Eller for a 4-3 lead.
STARTERS
Braden Holtby (3-1, 2.52 GAA, .919 sv%) started between the pipes for the Capitals. Marc-Andre Fleury (1-3, 4.08 GAA, .845 sv%) started in goal for the Knights. The Capitals starting forward lines and defensive pairs for Game 5 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 and Knights battled to a scoreless draw for the first 20 minutes. The Capitals outshot the Knights 10-7 for the first 20 minutes. The Capitals were 0 for 1 and the Knights 0 for 0 on the man advantage for the first period.
The Knights won the battle at the faceoff dot 62-38%, but also led in giveaways, 7-1 for the opening frame. Each team had four blocked shots.
SECOND PERIOD
The Capitals would open the scoring with a break away goal from Jakub Vrana, who finished top shelf on Fleury at 6:24 of the middle frame.
The Knights would tie the game up less than 4 minutes later with a redirected shot by Nate Schmidt at 9:40 of the second period.
Alex Ovechkin would regain the lead for the Capitals with a power play goal at 10:14 of the second period. The goal was setup by a beautiful cross ice pass from Nicklas Backstrom.
But the Knights would strike right back again, this time with a goal from David Perron at 12:56 of the second period.
The Knights would take their first lead of the game with a power play goal from Reilly Smith at 19:31 of the second period.
The period would conclude with the Knights holding on to a 3-2 lead at the second intermission. Vegas outshot the Capitals 13-11 for the second period, and were tied 20-20 after two periods of play. The Capitals were 1 for 3 and the Knights 1 for 2 on the man advantage after 40 minutes of play.
THIRD PERIOD
The Capitals would tie the game with a goal from Devante Smith-Pelly at 9:52 of the final frame, making it 3-3.
Lars Eller would give the Capitals a 4-3 lead late with a goal from the crease at 12:23 of the final frame.
And that would be the final.
SHAVINGS
- The NHL box score is here.
SCENES FROM VEGAS AND THE DISTRICT