Capitals seize control of series
WASHINGTON Evgeny Kuznetsov stayed on the ice until the very end of Saturday’s warmup, shooting at an empty net to test the injury that had become one of the main talking points of the Stanley Cup final.
When the puck dropped for Game 3, the Capitals centre showed he was feeling just fine.
Kuznetsov scored what turned out to be the winner and added an assist as Washington defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1 to take a 21 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The leading scorer in the playoffs with 27 points, Kuznetsov was rocked by Vegas defenceman Brayden McNabb in the first period of Washington’s 3-2 road victory on Wednesday.
He left clutching his left arm or wrist and didn’t return, but practised on Friday and took part in the Capitals’ morning skate before giving the injury a final once over about a half hour before puck drop.
“It’s emotional stuff,” Kuznetsov said of pain. “When you’re hurt, you play a little better. “You have extra energy.” Alex Ovechkin, with the 60th playoff goal of his career, and Devante Smith-Pelly also scored for Washington, which won its first-ever game on home ice in the final to move two victories from its first Cup.
“It’s only two,” Ovechkin said. “We just have to move forward and (not) think about it too much.”
Braden Holtby made 21 stops for the Capitals, while Jay Beagle added two assists.
Stefan Nosek replied for the expansion Knights, who got 23 saves from MarcAndre Fleury in losing back-to-back contests for the first time in the playoffs.
Game 4 goes Monday at Capital One Arena.
“They came out strong,” said Fleury, whose team also finds itself down 2-1 in a series for the first time. “They never slowed down tonight and we did not find a way back.”
Having last played at home in the final on June 16, 1998, when the Detroit Red Wings won 4-1 to complete a fourgame sweep in Washington’s only other Cup appearance, the Capitals took the lead 1:10 into the second period off a wild scramble in front.
Fleury made three great saves before Ovechkin leapt over the fallen McNabb and backhanded his 14th goal of the playoffs to tie John Druce’s franchise record for a single post-season set in 1990.