The top team from each NHL conference gets this season’s Stanley Cup Finals underway on Monday night with the Washington Capitals from the East taking on the West’s Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of this best-of-seven clash. Game time from T-Mobile Arena is set for 8 p.m. on NBC.
Washington at Vegas Game Overview
Over the past decade, the Capitals have been plagued with one disappointment after the other in the playoffs. That all came to an end on Wednesday night in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals with a 4-0 shutout of Tampa Bay as +121 road underdogs. The victory was Washington’s eighth victory on the road in 10 postseason games. It closed as a road underdog in seven of those wins, and the total stayed UNDER or closed as a PUSH in seven of the ten games.
To complete this run with a Stanley Cup title, the Capitals will look to Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov to provide the bulk of the firepower on offense as they did in the first three playoff series. Through 19 postseason games, Ovechkin tallied 12 goals and 10 assists with Kuznetsov adding 11 goals and 13 assists to the winning cause. When it comes to stopping Vegas at the other end of the ice, goalie Braden Holtby brings a stellar 2.04 goals-against average, and a .924 save percentage into this series.
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Vegas has been the story of the year in the NHL as an expansion team. Early victories turned into a consistent winning record that earned the Golden Knights the Pacific Division title. They cruised through their first three series in 15 games including a four-game sweep of Los Angeles in the opening round and four straight wins against Winnipeg in the Western Conference Finals after losing Game 1 of that series. Vegas lost just one game at home during this run against six wins. The total stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in 10 of the 15 games.
When it comes to scoring goals for the Golden Knights, Jonathan Marchessault led the way with eight as one of four players with at least four goals in the postseason. Reilly Smith posted two goals in 15 games to go with his team-high 14 assists. The main reason why Vegas is playing in the Stanley Cup Finals in its inaugural season is veteran goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury playing at a very high level. He has gone the distance through the first three series with a 1.68 GAA complementing a .947 save percentage.
Get more details: Washington at Vegas NHL Match-Up
Washington at Vegas Game Betting Trends
- The Capitals are 15-3 in their last 18 road games, and they are 26-8 in their last 34 Monday games. The total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in five of their last six road games.
- The Golden Knights posted a 15-7 record against the Eastern Conference this season and they are 15-1 in their last 16 games at home against a team with a winning road record.
- Vegas won both meetings this season, and the total was evenly split on a closing line of six in each game.
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