"Vegas isn't going to give the Caps another chance by playing substandard."
And my final score prediction:
LV 4; Caps 3 in OT
Is there a recall on my NHL crystal ball that I didn't hear about?
One: LV played substandard.
Two: the Actual Final Score:
Caps 6; LV 2
Yeah, you can take my predictions to the bank...and shortly after to the poorhouse.
Game total in the series: Caps 3; LV 1.
Last night is two games in a row where LV underperformed. And that's being generous and kind. To me, I didn't see their speed, their finesse or their desire. They looked tired. They came alive and got their game back half-way through P3 and that was too late.
The Caps owned period one, nailing 3 goals. Vegas sat at zero. More stats here.
John Carlson added a 4th goal for the Caps in P2 and LV remained at zero.
LV was scoreless until 5:43 in PERIOD 3 when LV's James Neal slipped the puck past Caps goalie Braden Holtby.
A short bit later, Vegas' Reilly Smith put another point on the score board and it was LV 2; Caps 4. Could LV, now with 2, hope for two more, tie and go into an OT? No.
Less than 2 minutes after Smith's goal, the Caps' Mike Kempny gave Washington their 5th goal and few minutes later, his teammate Brett Connolly nailed a 6th goal for Washington. It was over for Vegas.
A few fights broke out here and there, especially near the end of the game. LV's Ryan Reaves and Caps' Devante Smith-Pelly had Reaves penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, and Caps' T.J. Oshie got a 10 minute misconduct near the end of the game so his ice-time was done for the night. A whole mix of players from both teams got a little heated. I'm surprised Reaves and Smith-Pelly haven't yet come to a full-blown brawl. It's been brewing for the entire series.
I have no vested interest in either team winning The Cup. I wanted to see the Penguins three-peat, but that didn't happen - the Caps won that series. It'd be nice having the Caps win, after a 44-year playing history, and no Stanley Cup to claim, no one can say they don't deserve it.
Should LV manage to dig out of their deficit, - and win - they will be the first NHL team in their first year of existence to win The Cup. Kind of seems unfair compared to the years the Caps have tried and failed. But records exist to be made and broken, don't they?
To reach The Cup series, Vegas beat L.A., the Sharks and the Jets.
For the Caps series, they eliminated the Blue Jackets, the Pens and TBay.
The Caps have more game losses than LV in this whole playoff series.
Does having to fight harder to win make you the better team or, are you the better team because you eliminated your opponents with less losses than the team you're facing for the Stanley Cup? Can you make the argument that the Caps faced better teams and a tougher set of series than the teams LV beat?
I don't know. While game win/loss ratio trends for a Caps win, is The Cup still up for grabs? The Caps have to win only one more game and the Cup is theirs. Vegas must win all three remaining games.
And a reminder to self: I predicted a six game series.
Game 5 is Thursday, June 7 and on Vegas home ice. Will the Caps make it the final game?
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