2018 Stanley Cup Finals | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Location(s) | Washington: Capital One Arena (3, 4) Paradise: T-Mobile Arena (1, 2, 5) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Coaches | Washington: Barry Trotz Vegas: Gerard Gallant | |||||||||||||||||||||
Captains | Washington: Alexander Ovechkin Vegas: Vacant | |||||||||||||||||||||
National anthems | Washington: Caleb Green and Bob McDonald (game 3) Caleb Green, Bob McDonald and U.S. Army chorus (game 4) Vegas: Carnell Johnson | |||||||||||||||||||||
Referees | Marc Joannette (1, 3, 5) Wes McCauley (1, 3, 5) Chris Rooney (2, 4) Kelly Sutherland (2, 4) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Dates | May 28 – June 7, 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||
MVP | Alexander Ovechkin (Capitals) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Series-winning goal | Lars Eller (12:23, third, G5) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Networks | Canada: (English): CBC/Sportsnet (French): TVA Sports United States: (English): NBC (1, 4–5), NBCSN (2–3) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Announcers | (CBC/SN) Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson (TVA) Felix Seguin and Patrick Lalime (NBC/NBCSN) Mike Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, and Pierre McGuire (NHL International) Steve Mears and Kevin Weekes (NBC Sports Radio & NHL Radio) Kenny Albert, Joe Micheletti (1–4), Ray Ferraro, Jim Fox (5), and Steve Goldstein | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2018 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2017–18 season and the culmination of the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Washington Capitals defeated the Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights four games to one to win their first championship, in their 44th season. The Vegas Golden Knights made the Finals in their first season, while this was the second Finals appearance for the Capitals. This was the first Finals series since 2007 where neither team had previously won the Stanley Cup and the third consecutive year in which a Western Conference team made their Finals debut. This was the first Finals since 2014 to require fewer than six games, and the first since 2011 in which the eventual winner lost the first game. Washington captain Alexander Ovechkin was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs.
The series began on May 28 and ended on June 7.[1] The Vegas Golden Knights had home ice advantage in the series since the Golden Knights won the Pacific Division with 109 points during the regular season, while the Capitals won the Metropolitan Division with 105 points.