2018 Stanley Cup Finals facts for kids

The 2018 Stanley Cup Finals was a super exciting hockey championship series! It was played between two top teams from the NHL: the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights. This was a really special event because the Capitals had never won the Stanley Cup before.

The Teams in the Finals

The Washington Capitals are a well-known hockey team from Washington, D.C. They had many talented players, including their captain, Alexander Ovechkin, who is one of the best goal-scorers in hockey history.

The Vegas Golden Knights were a brand-new team in the NHL. This was their very first season playing, and it was amazing that they made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals! They quickly became a fan favorite.

How the Capitals Won

The series was played as a "best of seven," meaning the first team to win four games would take home the Stanley Cup. The Washington Capitals played incredibly well and won the series 4 games to 1. This means they won four games while the Golden Knights won only one.

It was a historic win for the Capitals and their fans. After many years, they finally lifted the famous Stanley Cup trophy for the very first time in their team's history. Alexander Ovechkin was a huge part of their success, leading his team to this big victory.

Images for kids

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  Tomáš Nosek, shown with Grand Rapids, scored two goals, including the game-winner, in Game 1.

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  Braden Holtby saved 37 of 39 shots faced in Game 2.

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  Devante Smith-Pelly began his three-game goal-scoring streak in Game 3.

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  Evgeny Kuznetsov scored four assists in Game 4.

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  Lars Eller scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in Game 5.

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  Deryk Engelland, an alternate captain for the Golden Knights, served as the de facto team captain as he led the Golden Knights to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in franchise history, in their first season of operations

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  Alexander Ovechkin captained the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2018 playoffs