Capitals flying high after Game 3 victory
Ovechkin, Kuznetsov tally as Washington goes up 2-1 on Vegas to move closer to franchise’s 1st Cup
Alex Ovechkin seems to be celebrating every Washington Capitals goal as if it is the most important tally in franchise history.
Maybe at this point, each Caps goal is that momentous.
Ovechkin scored his 14th goal of the playoffs and linemate Evgeny Kuznetsov registered a goal and an assist to spark the Capitals to a 3-1 win against the Vegas Golden Knights and a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night.
“Ovechkin is on another level, but he’s always been a brash celebrator,” said Washington defenseman John Carlson. “He’s engaged as anyone can ever be. It shows in his game and the effect that it has on the rest of us.”
On this night, Ovechkin had 10 shots at the net, five shots on goal, two hits and two blocked shots.
“I think in the last couple of games he set the tone,” said Washington coach Barry Trotz.
Everyone in the greater Washington area had an understanding of how important this game was in determining how this series will play out, but Ovechkin’s understanding was deeper than anyone’s. He’s been with the Capitals since 2005 and he’s never before been beyond the second round until this season.
This is the first time the Capitals have ever won a Stanley Cup Final game at home, and Ovechkin’s enthusiasm is apparent. You wonder if he’s hurting the teammates he bear hugs.
Trotz noted that Ovechkin is playing with intensity, physicality, skill and purpose, and when he’s playing like that “the whole team is going to follow him.”
With an electric atmosphere coursing through Capital One Arena, Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead 1:10 into the second period with a remarkable backhander as he was falling to ice.
“It kind of looked like his 600th goal – it reminded me a lot of that one,” said Carlson.
But this goal is far more important because it is moving the Capitals closer to a Stanley Cup. Everyone is talking about the Vegas passion, but the DC area is also burning with Stanley Cup fever. Streets were packed outside the arena with fans as the game was going on.
“There’s a lot of pride in the DC area,” said Trotz.
Ovechkin’s sidekick on his superhero night was Kuznetsov, whose appearance in Game 3 was a game-time decision. He missed most of Game 2 after being pulverized by a heavy hit by Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb.
He didn’t show any discomfort as he ripped a shot past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in the second period to give Washington a 2-0 lead.
“Kuznetsov has been great the past couple of seasons,” Carlson said. “He’s one of the most dynamic players, and he can take over the league if he wants to. He’s that talented and sees the game better than everyone else.”
Kuznetsov leads all playoff scorers with 27 points.
But the Capitals are counting wins, not goals and points. Anyone who is watching the Capitals can see how driven Ovechkin is to make this championship happen. He knows he has to show teammates what must be done to win it all. After 13 years, he seems to have figured out the Capitals’ path to success.
That’s why he is celebrating each goal with gusto. He can see his team inching closer to an objective that has always been out of reach. He’s reacting with honest emotion, a release earned by too many years of frustrating results.
“It’s just automatic,” he said.
Knights’ magical run faces adversity
The Golden Knights’ appeal doesn’t hide the reality of what they were Saturday’s loss.
They’re an expansion team. Yes, they’ve exceeded any and all expectations to this point. That’s readily apparent. Also visible after losing consecutive games in the playoffs for the first time: This magical team has its shortcomings.
“We are in the finals for a reason,” said veteran forward James Neal said when asked about whether the team’s depth played a role in losses in Games 2 and 3. “I don’t know what that means.”
The stellar play of goalie Fleury can only mask so much, like the play of defenseman Shea Theodore, who is part of the Golden Knights’ second defensive pair.
Theodore pinched, broke his stick and was caught out of position as the Caps made it 2-0 on a goal by Evgeny Kuznetsov in the second period.
He also set up the final goal of the game with a turnover that led to a Devante Smith-Pelly marker with six minutes left in regulation to essentially ice the contest for Washington.
The problems in Game 3 can’t all be pinned on Theodore. Neal’s line, for example, was on the ice for all three Washington goals, and the only goal the Knights scored was thanks to a turnover by Caps goalie Braden Holtby.
They were out-shot 26-22 and didn’t seem to have the same transition offense that has carried them.
“I think at times we are overthinking it,” said Golden Knights forward Alex Tuch. “We are at our best when we are making the other team make mistakes. We know how to regroup, come back and play better. We have to be better and we will be better for Game 4.”