Stanley Cup Final 2018: Capitals vs. Golden Knights Series Takeaways,Top Moments

The Washington Capitals on Thursday set off a celebration that will last weeks and months in the nation's capital, as they won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history with a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5.

Washington overcame a two-game deficit in the first round, took down the longtime rival and two-time defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round and powered past the top seed in the Eastern Conference in seven games just to get to the Stanley Cup Final.

After losing Game 1, the Capitals took four straight games from the expansion side to finish off one of the more improbable postseasons in NHL history.

The Capitals entered the third period down a goal, but responded with tallies from Devante Smith-Pelly and Lars Eller, who scored the series-clinching strike 12 minutes and 23 seconds into the final stanza:

Barry Trotz's team held on for the final seven-and-a-half minutes, and in the final few seconds, Alexander Ovechkin was caught jumping up and down on the bench with an ear-to-ear smile ready to celebrate. 

As he received the Stanley Cup from commissioner Gary Bettman, Ovechkin produced a grin that would provide happiness not only in Washington but across the sporting spectrum: 

For his contributions throughout the postseason, Ovechkin was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player to his team in the postseason. 

While Ovechkin caught most of the spotlight during the celebration, there was also a heartwarming moment created by T.J. Oshie, whose dad has Alzheimer's and was in attendance Thursday. 

"He doesn't remember a lot of stuff these days, but I tell you what, he's here tonight," Oshie said. "I don't know where he's at, but this one will stick with him forever."   

Top Takeaways

Ovechkin Cements Legacy As All-Time Great 

In the eyes of some critics, Ovechkin had to win a championship to his cement his legacy as one of the NHL's all-time great players.

Although the Capitals came up short on multiple occasions in previous seasons, Oveckin's postseason numbers were still impressive.

Before the 2018 postseason, Ovechkin had 46 goals and 44 assists in playoff games, but he took his play to another level this year, as did Evgeny Kuznetsov, to write the long-awaited championship chapter in Capitals history.

Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead in the second period with his lone tally of Game 5, and he continued to be the emotional leader on the bench and the ice throughout 60 minutes.

Winning the Stanley Cup added to a resume already worthy of the Hall of Fame, as Ovechkin has 1,239 career points and seven Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophies for being the top scorer in the NHL, as the league's official Twitter account noted:

Whether the 32-year-old can win another trophy remains to be seen, but it won't be contemplated for quite some time, as Ovechkin is going to have the time of his life celebrating the coveted title.

Vegas Sets New Standard For Expansion Teams

Although the Capitals left the ice with the Stanley Cup, the Golden Knights exited T-Mobile Arena with their heads held high after a tremendous expansion season. 

Gerard Gallant's team rolled through the Western Conference playoffs by sweeping the Los Angeles Kings in the first round and losing three games combined in the next two series to the San Jose Sharks and Winnipeg Jets. 

Even in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Golden Knights looked like an unstoppable machine powered by a remarkable top line of Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson and Reilly Smith, as well as superb goalkeeping from Marc-Andre Fleury.

John Locher/Associated Press

General manager George McPhee, who helped build the Capitals, put together a roster full of experienced veterans, role players and young stars hungry to prove their worth. 

In addition to setting the bar higher than ever for expansion team success, the Golden Knights united Las Vegas and gave the fans in the city a team of their own to cheer for. And the relationship between the team and its supporters appears to be one of the strongest in sports. 

Just like any team does in the offseason, Vegas will experience some roster turnover and work on some of the flaws it identifies. But given how well the Golden Knights performed during the first year of their existence, it's hard to believe they won't be back in contention for the Stanley Cup next season.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.