Stanley Cup Final 2018
The 2018 Stanley Cup Final saw the Washington Capitals defeat the Vegas Golden Knights four games to one for their first championship.
The 2018 Stanley Cup Final 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 (the first was in 1998). 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. Having won the Pacific Division with 109 points during the regular season the Vegas Golden Knights had home ice advantage in the series while the Capitals won the Metropolitan Division with 105 points.
- Historic Status
- First Expansion Team to Reach Finals in 50 Years
Lore & Background
Vegas became the first expansion team since the 1967–68 St. Louis Blues to make the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season. However, the 1967–68 expansion was structured so that an expansion team was guaranteed to make the final. By contrast, the Golden Knights entered the season as long shots to make the postseason, let alone the Finals, with sources like Deadspin and Newsweek predicting that the Golden Knights would be among the worst teams in the league. However, the Golden Knights exceeded even the most optimistic projections to turn in one of the strongest debut seasons for an expansion team in North American professional sports history. The Golden Knights were only the second captainless team since 1973 to be in the Finals, and the first since the New York Rangers in 2014.
In Their Own Story
The air inside T-Mobile Arena is thick with humidity and anticipation, the hum of thousands of voices vibrating through the floorboards. It is June 2018, Game 7. The ice is scarred from hours of grueling play, reflecting the harsh arena lights in fractured shards. A player skates toward center ice, the weight of a city on his shoulders, the gold jersey tight against his chest. He looks up at the rafters where the 'Welcome to Vegas' sign blinks silently, waiting for the drop.
Reader's Guide
The series began on May 28 and ended on June 7. Game one: Both teams scored twice in the opening period. The first goal came from Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Colin Miller. Washington struck back later in the period as both Brett Connolly and Nicklas Backstrom scored 42 seconds apart. William Karlsson then tied the game. Early in the second period, Reilly Smith scored. Capitals defenceman John Carlson tied the score. In the third period, Tom Wilson redirected Alexander Ovechkin's shot past Marc-Andre Fleury to take the lead. However, Vegas responded 1:41 later as Ryan Reaves tied the game. Tomas Nosek scored for Vegas later in the period. Vegas grabbed an empty-net goal in the final minute to finish the game 6–4. Game two: During the first period, James Neal scored. The Capitals tied the game when Lars Eller shot into an empty net. During the second period, on a power-play, Alexander Ovechkin gave Washington the lead. Brooks Orpik extended the Capitals' lead to two goals. Vegas cut the deficit by one goal when Shea Theodore scored on the power-play. In the third period Braden Holtby backstopped Washington to the victory, stopping the final fifteen shots from Vegas.
Did You Know?
- The Vegas Golden Knights were the first expansion team since the 1967–68 St. Louis Blues to make the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season.
- The Golden Knights were only the second captainless team since 1973 to be in the Finals, and the first since the New York Rangers in 2014.
- Marc-Andre Fleury started 20 of the 24 playoff games, not all 24.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the Golden Knights host their 2018 Stanley Cup Final games?
The home legs of the 2018 Final were played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where the crowd created a deafening backdrop for the team's matchup against the Washington Capitals. It was the first time the building hosted a Cup Final, and the energy in the room felt unlike anything the city had experienced before.
What made the 2018 Stanley Cup Final historic for the Golden Knights?
Vegas became the first expansion franchise in 72 years to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, accomplishing this in just their very first NHL season. That feat instantly redefined what fans expected from the organization and set a high bar for future seasons.
How did the Golden Knights' 2018 Stanley Cup Final series end?
The Capitals outlasted Vegas four games to one, ending the Knights' inaugural-season run. Even in defeat, the performance left a lasting impression and helped shape the franchise's reputation for competitive, high-tempo hockey.
What was the atmosphere like at T-Mobile Arena during the 2018 Finals?
The arena essentially became a pressure cooker of noise, with Las Vegas fans packed shoulder-to-shoulder and roaring through every shift. That electric environment became a cornerstone of the club's early fan culture and a memory many supporters still reference.
What was the Golden Knights' regular-season record heading into the 2018 Stanley Cup Final?
The team closed out its debut season with a 51-24-7 mark, a standout result for a brand-new expansion squad. That strong foundation gave the roster the confidence and momentum to push all the way to the championship round.
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