Stanley Cup Final 2018: TV Schedule, Live Stream for Capitals vs. Golden Knights

The Washington Capitals defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL Eastern Conference Final in seven games to overcome years of playoff failure and earn a spot in the Stanley Cup Final.

Their 4-0 victory Wednesday night featured all the key elements needed to win a conference-deciding game.

The Caps got an early opening goal from tone-setter and superstar Alex Ovechkin, their defense was in the shooting lanes throughout the game and goaltender Braden Holtby was well-positioned, sharp and confident in registering a second consecutive shutout.

That victory has been safely tucked away and is part of NHL history. Both the Caps and the Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights are counting down the hours until Monday night's championship series opener.

If the wait is a long one for the Capitals, it is interminable for the Golden Knights.

They closed out the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference Final on May 20, and this is their second long wait of the playoff season. They swept the Los Angeles Kings in the first round and had a nine-day break before meeting the San Jose Sharks in the second round.

But waiting around for a long time is a relative term when discussing the Golden Knights. The expansion team did not have any players a year ago and didn't play its first meaningful game until October.

This team of misfits has overachieved to a spectacular level since the start of the year.

Stanley Cup Final Schedule

Game 1: Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden Knights, May 28, 8 p.m., NBC
Game 2: Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden Knights, May 30, 8 p.m., NBCSN
Game 3: Vegas Golden Knights at Washington Capitals, June 2, 8 p.m., NBCSN
Game 4: Vegas Golden Knights at Washington Capitals, June 4, 8 p.m., NBC
Game 5: Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden Knights, June 7, 8 p.m., NBC, if necessary
Game 6: Vegas Golden Knights at Washington Capitals, June 10, 8 p.m., NBC, if necessary
Game 7: Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden Knights, June 13, 8 p.m., NBC, if necessary

All Stanley Cup Final games can be live-streamed at NBCSports.com.

The Golden Knights won the Pacific Division title, and they have been even better in the postseason.

They own a 12-3 playoff record in beating the Kings, Sharks and Jets, and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has been a game-changer with a 1.68 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage along with four postseason shutouts.

Vegas also features a quick-strike offense that is often triggered by excellent play in the defensive zone. The Golden Knights backcheck consistently, break up opponents' rushes and quickly turn those plays into instant offense with sharp passing and decisive playmaking.

Jonathan Marchessault has had an excellent playoffs, with eight goals and 10 assists. His overall performance has been trending upward, as he had just two assists in the first round before finding his stride in the second and third rounds. 

David Becker/Associated Press

Marchessault is joined by linemates Reilly Smith and William Karlsson, and those three have combined for 47 points in 15 games.

Smith said the team has gained quite a bit from head coach Gerard Gallant's even-keel approach.

"He's coached the same way," he said, per Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "He never changes. He's always the same person, and guys respect that."

Ovechkin has overcome years of postseason disappointment with a sensational playoff campaign.

The Russian has scored 12 goals and added 10 assists, and he is also playing hard, physical hockey on a nightly basis. He rose to the occasion in series-clinching wins over the Pittsburgh Penguins and Lightning, and there is no reason to believe he will slow down in the championship series.

Holtby has been excellent in goal, although not quite as good as Fleury. The Caps netminder comes into the Stanley Cup Final with a 12-6 record, a 2.04 GAA and a .924 save percentage.

Holtby explained why the Capitals have been successful in this year's postseason. 

"I think our group here really understands what it means to be a team and how to win," he said, per Shawn P. Roarke of NHL.com. "Maybe in the past we've had more skill or been better on paper or whatever. But this team, everyone knows their role and everyone wants to pitch in and everyone is comfortable with each other."

Both teams will present significant challenges for the other once the puck is dropped. But with Game 1 approaching, Tom Petty's classic comes to mind because the waiting is the hardest part.