Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final was much like Game 3. One-sided. Washington scored early and often and once again received outstanding goaltending from Braden Holtby. They take a 3-1 strangle-hold and are one win away from being Stanley Cup Champions.
Here’s how it went down:
Vegas 2-6 Washington
Washington leads series 3-1
Three down. One to go.
The @Capitals are a win away from winning the #StanleyCup! pic.twitter.com/mCaUvf84jt
— NHL (@NHL) June 5, 2018
The Washington Capitals came into Game 4 looking to take a strangle hold on the cup final with a 3-1 series lead. The Vegas Golden Knights on the other hand, had plans of sending the series back home tied at two.
With that, came some line-up changes with head coach Gerard Gallant opting to put Tomas Tatar in the line-up over David Perron on the third line next to Cody Eakin and Ryan Carpenter.
It was a fast-paced opening with both teams flying around the ice and the Golden Knights missing on several scoring chances, hitting the post two or three times in the opening minutes of play.
After Colin Miller took a tripping penalty, the Caps would capitalize on the powerplay scoring halfway through the first period. Off the rush Evgeny Kuznetsov threw the puck on net and TJ Oshie came in to clean up the rebound, kicking the puck to his stick before putting it in the net.
The Caps added to their lead with just under four minutes left in the opening frame. With a group of tired Golden Knights left on the ice, a few defenders got caught chasing Alexander Ovechkin, leaving Kuznetsov open to take the puck behind the net and send it back out in front to Tom Wilson who buried it under the glove of Marc-Andre Fleury for the 2-0 lead.
Huge in Game 3.
Huge in Game 4.What's good @smithpelly23.#StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/mI3G1OXH38
— NHL (@NHL) June 5, 2018
Washington wasn’t done there. They kept piling on before the end of the first period. Devante Smith-Pelly would score in his second consecutive game. Off of another Vegas turnover, Ovechkin sends a long cross-ice pass to Smith-Pelly down low who, like Oshie, kicked the puck to his stick and roofed it over the blocker of Fleury for a three-goal lead.
The route continued well into the second period when Washington made it 4-0 with just under five minutes left. After James Neal took a slashing penalty, Kuznetsov added his fourth point of the night when he threw the puck cross-ice to John Carlson who one-timed it home for his fifth of the playoffs and tying the record for most playoff points for a Capitals defender at 54.
Carlson with the power play blast.
It's all Caps. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/dMxfo6u6Kj
— NHL (@NHL) June 5, 2018
Vegas would finally solve Braden Holtby, however it may have been too late as it came with 14 minutes left in the game. Erik Haula set up James Neal down low who roofed it over the shoulder of Holtby to cut the score down to 4-1.
The Knights would cut the lead in half just under seven minutes later. Reilly Smith would score his fourth of the playoffs after taking a pass in front of the net from Jonathan Marchessault, and backhanded it past Holtby.
It wouldn’t be enough as Washington would put this game away once and for all scoring again with on six minutes left. Nicklas Backstrom picked up the puck after TJ Oshie layer a questionable hit on Colin Miller that could have been a bit high. Backstrom made a pass to Michal Kempny who blasted the puck on a one-timer for his second of the playoffs.
Brett Connolly would score on a two-man advantage later in the period to add more salt to the already infect wound of the beaten down Golden Knights.
Braden Holtby has found the same Conn Smythe level of play we have seen from the Marc-Andre Fleury this postseason. He once again had the most solid game of any Capitals player stopping 29 of 30 Golden Knights shots.
The Capitals again found themselves reach a high number of blocks, hitting above 20 for the second game in a row. They totaled 24 blocks in Game 4.
To: @Capitals fans
Love: @ovi8 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/fSgjkbOirJ— NHL (@NHL) June 5, 2018
The Washington Capitals are one win away from being Stanley Cup Champions taking the 3-1 strangle-hold heading into Game 5. However, it would be just like Vegas to find a way out of a series like this.
Will Ovi raise the cup Thursday night? Puck drop is at 6 p.m. MT from T-Mobile Arena.
