The Vegas Golden Knights drew first blood in the Stanley Cup final and remain the betting favorites to finish the job and win the Stanley Cup.
Online sportsbook 5Dimes has the Knights listed at -250 to become the first NHL expansion team to hoist Lord Stanley’s trophy in its first year. The Knights started the season listed at +20000 to win the title and now sit three wins away from making bettors who wagered on the upstart franchise a nice profit. The team that wins the first game of the Stanley Cup final has gone on to win the Cup in 16 of the last 21 years (since 1996). Vegas is also now 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when scoring the first goal.
As for Washington, it will need to regroup and tighten up defensively if it wants to make this a series. The Capitals allowed six goals in Game 1, which was the most they’ve allowed in 20 playoff games this postseason. The Caps are listed as +210 dogs to come back and win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. Puckdrop for Game 2 is on Wednesday.
THE EARLY SERIES PREVIEW before GAME 1:
Both teams will be well-rested when the Washington Capitals visit the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. If you claim to have bet this exact series matchup back in October, well, I don’t believe you. It’s an 8 p.m. puck drop from what should be a wild T-Mobile Arena in Sin City and televised by NBC.
While it’s folly to guarantee a Game 1 or series winner, there are a few guarantees here:
*-Monday’s winner will be historic because it will be the first Stanley Cup Finals victory in either franchise’s history. Which leads us to …
*-We will have a first-time Stanley Cup champion. Of course, the Golden Knights are having the greatest expansion season in American sports annals. The Capitals reached the Stanley Cup Finals just once previously and were swept in 1998 by the Detroit Red Wings. The city of Washington, D.C., hasn’t had a champion in the four major sports since the Redskins won Super Bowl XXVI following the 1991 NFL season.
*-George McPhee will be a bit story line. The Golden Knights’ GM simply worked a miracle this season and is a finalist for General Manager of the Year (he’ll win it). McPhee was the Capitals’ GM from 1997 until he was fired on April 26, 2014. The Caps reached the Cup Finals in his first season but otherwise underachieved in the playoffs. McPhee also was responsible for drafting Alex Ovechkin at No. 1 overall in the 2004 draft, although that was a no-brainer. McPhee was replaced as Washington GM by assistant GM and long-time friend Brian MacLellan – those two played college hockey together at Bowling Green.
On the BetOnline series line, Vegas is a -145 favorite with Washington at +125.
Long Break Before Cup
Injuries shouldn’t be much of an issue as both teams will be well-rested, although Washington’s Brooks Orpik had to leave Wednesday’s game after being checked hard into the boards.
Vegas has been off since finishing Winnipeg in Game 5 of the West Finals on May 20. The Golden Knights haven’t lost back-to-back games in these playoffs and just three overall.
Washington was an upset winner at Tampa Bay on Wednesday, 4-0, as the Capitals won just their fifth all-time Game 7 in 16 tries. The team had been 3-7 in Games 7s in the Ovechkin era. Wednesday was the second straight shutout for Braden Holtby; he’s the second Capitals netminder with back-to-back playoff shutouts, joining Olie Kolzig in the 1998 conference semifinals. Holtby was the fifth goaltender ever to pitch a Game 7 shutout to earn a Stanley Cup Finals berth.
Ovechkin scored what would prove to be the winning goal 1:02 into the game; teams that score first win Game 7s nearly 75 percent of the time. It was his 12th goal of these playoffs, two shy of the franchise single-season postseason record and two shy of this year’s playoff leader, Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele. Teammate Evgeny Kuznetsov leads these playoffs with 24 points and carries a franchise-record 10-game point streak into the Stanley Cup Finals. Ovechkin’s 607 career regular-season goals are the second-most by a player making his first Stanley Cup Final appearance. Dave Andreychuk had 634 when he made his first Cup appearance.Needless to say, the Golden Knights and Capitals met twice this season. On Dec. 3 in Vegas, the Knights won 3-0 – all three goals in the first period. Marc-Andre Fleury had his first shutout as a member of the franchise; he has been magnificent in these playoffs with a 1.68 GAA. Fleury is a rare player in this series with Stanley Cup Finals experience as he won three rings with the Penguins. On Feb. 4 in D.C., the Knights won 4-3. Alex Tuch had the go-ahead goal with 5:12 left. Vegas rallied three times from one-goal deficits.
- Golden Knights are 15-1 in their last 16 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Capitals are 15-3 in their last 18 road games.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Capitals last 6 road games.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Golden Knights last 6 overall.
Vegas has only one home loss in these playoffs, while Washington is 8-2 on the road. Tough call there. So, the NHL pick for Game 1 is to the ‘under’ with Holtby rolling and Fleury used to the big moment.
OTL’S FREE SERIES PICK:
Washington wins the series in six.