The stage is set for the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals as the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights prepare to collide in Game 1 of the series this coming Monday. Which team will draw first blood on the ice? Read on for a betting preview for the first meeting in what we hope is a long a fruitful series for all.
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Betting Preview for the Washington Capitals vs Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup Finals Game 1 on May 28, 2018
When: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas NV
When: Monday, May 28, 8:00PM EST
Line: Washington Capitals (point spread) vs Vegas Golden Knights (point spread) – view all NHL lines
TV Broadcast: NBC, CBC
Betting on the Washington Capitals (+1.5)
After a long wait, Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals are headed to the Stanley Cup Finals. That was ascertained after the Caps defeated Tampa Bay 4-0 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday with Ovechkin playing a big role. Ovechkin scored the opening goal of the game before Andre Burakovsky scored the next two goals and Nicklas Backstrom scoring on an empty-netter. Washington’s offense has been flying his postseason wherein they are averaging 3.47 goals per game, second-best among any team that reached the playoffs. The Caps also enhanced their possession game in the playoffs with a 50.46 shot attempt percentage (5-on-5) compared to the 47.98 percent clip they had back in the regular season. Ovechkin leads his team with 12 postseason goals while top-line mate Evgeny Kuznetsov has 11. In between the pipes for Game 1 is Braden Holtby, who faced the Knights just once in the regular season, allowing three goals on 28 shots faced in a 3-0 road loss on Dec. 23. Holtby, however, 12-6 with a 2.04 GAA and .924 SV% in 18 games played (17 starts) this postseason.
Betting on the Vegas Golden Knights (-1.5)
Labelled as 500-1 underdogs to win the Stanley Cup Finals this year, the Golden Knights are just four wins way from raising the Cup. Unlike Washington, the Golden Knights had an easier time taking care of business in their own Conference finals, eliminating Winnipeg, four games to one. However, Vegas was not able to win the possession battle in any of those five games, as the team relied heavily on the heroics of goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who has just been simply sensational in the playoffs. So far in the postseason, Fleury is 12-3 with a fantastic 1.68 GAA and .947 SV% in 15 games played since the playoffs kicked off. Also crucial for the team is how their top line will keep up with Washington’s own top line of Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, and Tom Wilson. Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson, and Reilly Smith have combined for just 16 playoffs goals compared to the 26 goals of Ovi’s line. Vegas is averaging 2.87 goals per game in the postseason. Its special teams will play a crucial role in the series as the Capitals are second in the playoffs in power play percentage (28.8). Conversely, Vegas is fourth in penalty kill percentage (82.5).
Writer’s Prediction:
Vegas wins. 2-1.
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