Story By: Richard Thomas
Photos By: Sol Tucker
Washington, D.C–
When Pointed Magazine first started covering the Caps in the 97-98 season, it was a thrill as a new online publication to even have the chance to see a team compete for a championship trophy. That was the year, 1998, everyone thought it was magic and going to happen and then… well there was the Red Wings and we all know the end result of that one.
Fast forward to 2018 and the energy inside and around Capital One Arena last night, different than anything we have ever seen from a D.C sports fan base. We saw the Nationals advance to the playoffs but once again did not make it all the way, finally another chance to see a team in the finals that could actually win it all.
So what can fans expect from this Ovie led team going into the series against Las Vegas? Much more of the hard nosed hockey as we saw in the series against Tampa Bay, who entered as the better team and left packing their bags for the off season. Washington finally has a squad of players just like they did in 1998, except they have a good shot at actually winning a Stanley Cup for the first time in 43 years.
This team has played harder than any Caps team we have seen in 20 years. Yes, they have been knocked around and beaten up by the likes of the Penguins, Rangers and Flyers over the past decade, but they have never shown the resiliency this team has in 2018.
We clearly remember the series against Ottawa back in 1998 and know that was one of the toughest fights the Caps had put up in the history of the team behind a Peter Bondra and Adam Oates led team. Just like they did in 98 behind Olie the Goalie, they are doing the same behind Braden Holtby this year to form what may be the best all around team led by a solid round of 4 lines of players that the Caps have never seen in previous seasons.
Game 1 in Vegas should be a spectacle in itself. This team is riding the wave of a first year of emotions so high that they feel they could beat about any team on any given day or any night in the NHL and their calm and collective laid back mentality led by former Caps GM George McPhee, will certainly have their hands full the entire series.
Full Stanley Cup Final schedule
Game 1: May 28 at Vegas, 8 p.m. (NBC, CBC, Sportsnet, fuboTV)
Game 2: May 30 at Vegas, 8 p.m. (NBC, CBC, Sportsnet, fuboTV)
Game 3: June 2 at Washington, 8 p.m. (NBC, CBC, Sportsnet, fuboTV)
Game 4: June 4 at Washington, 8 p.m. (NBC, CBC, Sportsnet, fuboTV)
*Game 5: June 7 at Vegas, 8 p.m. (NBC, CBC, Sportsnet, fuboTV)
*Game 6: June 10 at Washington, 8 p.m. (NBC, CBC, Sportsnet, fuboTV)
*Game 7: June 13 at Vegas, 8 p.m. (NBC, CBC, Sportsner, fuboTV)
