What to Watch For: Stanley Cup Final Game 2
After a thrilling Game 1 in the Stanley Cup Final, what can we expect from Game 2 of the series?
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final exceeded every hockey fanatic’s expectations. The pre-game ceremony that only Vegas could pull off, featuring a nearly four-minute act that saw a Golden Knight jousting with some evil Capitals henchmen, Michael Buffer introductions and a Lil Jon pregame concert, the game was just as entertaining as the pregame hoopla. During Vegas’ 6–4 victory in Game 1, the Capitals and Knights combined for 135 shot attempts and it was the first game in Stanley Cup Final history that featured four lead changes, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Fasten your seat belts, hockey brethren. Here’s what to watch for in Game 2 of what looks to be an exhilarating Stanley Cup Final:
Will Ovi and the Caps’ top-line show up?: Alexander Ovechkin is the biggest name in the series and naturally, the most scrutinized player in the series. Ovi waited 13 years and 116 playoff games before skating in a Stanley Cup Final. The Capitals’ top-line, headlined by Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov was largely ineffective for much of Game 1 and were outplayed by Vegas’ fourth line. Perhaps Ovechkin’s most notable moment in Game 1 came when Capitals’ netminder Braden Holtby was pulled for an extra attacker and Ovechkin’s attempted pass to Tom Wilson — which would have set up an excellent scoring opportunity — was blocked by Vegas’ Tomas Nosek. The Capitals’ most explosive line will need to be significantly better for the Caps to steal a road victory in Game 2.
Will the refs be a factor again?: It’s every fans worst nightmare, but there was no denying the obvious fact that the referees had an impact on Game 1. First, there was the clear cross-check by Ryan Reaves on Capitals defenseman John Carlson before he scored his third-period goal which tied the game at 4 at the time. Then, there was Tom Wilson’s late hit on Vegas’ Jonathan Marchessault well after the forward moved the puck. At the very least, Wilson should have been called for a two-minute minor and probably deserved a five-minute major, but no call was made on the ice and the NHL decided not to discipline Wilson. It was an egregious hit and missed call. The refs need to be better and stay out of the spotlight in Game 2, plain and simple.
The bottom line: The Knights won Game 1 thanks in large part to contributions from their fourth line. “You’ve gotta have depth in the finals. You want it all year, but especially right now,” Reaves told reporters after Game 1. The Knights’ fourth line of Reaves, Pierre-Édouard Bellemare and Nosek produced both the go-ahead goal at 9:44 of the third and the clinching empty-netter at 19:57, both scored by Nosek. That’s as good as coach Gerrard Gallant could have hoped that line would play. Vegas has thrived all season on being a well-balanced team with unsung heroes stepping up in unexpected moments and Game 1 was no different. The Capitals will need to match the contribution, depth and intensity rom Vegas in Game 2.
