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Capitals Win 2018 Stanley Cup Final: Score, Celebration Highlights and Reaction
June 8, 2018
The Washington Capitals won the 2018 Stanley Cup Final with a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 on Thursday night.
Given it is the first time in their 44-year history that they have hoisted the Cup, there was quite the celebration in Las Vegas and back home in the nation's capital.
After having a pair of one-goal leads in the second period, Washington entered the third trailing 3-2. It got the equalizer from Devante Smith-Pelly midway through the third. Moments later, Lars Eller scored what turned out to be the Cup-clinching goal:
Ellers was the one who gave the Capitals their first win this postseason with a double-overtime score against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Game 3 of the first round. Now, he got the goal that gave them their 16th and final victory of the playoffs.
That sent the fans back at Washington's Capital One Arena into pandemonium:
From that point on, it was all about killing the final seven-plus minutes of game time. Even with a clock malfunction, Braden Holtby and Co. found a way to keep the puck out of the net.
Fourteen years after being taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, Alexander Ovechkin finally delivered a championship to Washington:
That meant it was time for the Capitals to introduce themselves to the Stanley Cup:
Vegas couldn't cap off its inaugural season with a championship, but the Golden Knights made sure to pay their respect to the victors:
At that point, the celebration was on:
The celebration eventually made its way from the ice to the locker room:
The players, coaches and front office weren't the only ones celebrating. Capitals fans everywhere were soaking in the moment:
The winner of the previous two Stanley Cups, the Pittsburgh Penguins, passed the torch:
Washington had to rally from a 0-2 series deficit to Columbus in the first round, but the Blue Jackets put aside their disappointing defeat and made sure to send along congratulations:
Plenty of teams around the league joined in:
It was a bittersweet moment for Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper, who as a Vegas native is a noted Golden Knights fan:
Bryce Harper @Bharper3407I’m so proud to be born and raised in Las Vegas and so proud to call the @GoldenKnights my team! To be able to root for a team from my home town for the first time in my life was the most fun I’ve ever had! Now I understand what it means to be a fan! What a year fellas!⚔️ #VGK
It was a night nobody in Washington will soon forget.