Caps, Ovechkin finally get shot at Stanley Cup

TAMPA, Fla. — Alex Ovechkin is thrilled, though hardly satisfied.

The Capitals star is headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in his 13year career, eager to put more distance between the Eastern Conference champions and a lingering perception of Ovechkin and the Caps as playoff underachievers.

“Finally, we get what we want, [ to] be in the Stanley Cup Final,” the 32- year- old Russian said. “There’s still a lot of hockey to play.”

Ovechkin scored just over a minute into the Capitals’ 4- 0 victory over the Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final Wednesday night.

Braden Holtby stopped 29 shots to notch his second straight shutout. Andre Burakovsky scored two goals, and Nicklas Backstrom added an empty- netter to help the Capitals close it out.

Now, they’ve got to do it again against the expansion Golden Knights, who are Western Conference champions in their inaugural season.

“I feel very happy, but we’re not finished yet,” Ovechkin said. “We’ve been waiting for this moment a long time.”

The Golden Knights breezed through their conference, scoring 43 goals and allowing 27 while going 12- 3 to eliminate the Kings, Sharks and Jets during an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Vegas went 2- 0 against the Capitals in the regular season, winning 3- 0 at home on Dec. 23 and 4- 3 at Washington on Feb. 4.