Holtby and Oshie are locked in (Caps Outsider)
It was only Game 4, but the Capitals played like Stanley Cup champions on Monday as they beat the Golden Knights, 6-2, to take a 3-1 series lead in the finals.
Despite the score, Vegas wore their heart on their sleeve… in the first several minutes of the game. Only puck interference by the hockey gods kept the game scoreless, as Vegas hit two posts and could’ve easily been leading 3-0.
It wasn’t until after several Vegas chances did James Neal have his Esa Tikkanen moment, staring at a wide-open net with several seconds to shoot but instead hit the far post. At first it looked like Braden Holtby had The Save, Part II but there will be no flipbook made for this one.
Then the Caps sank in their teeth and didn’t let up for the remainder of the period, as T.J. Oshie scored a non-traditional power play goal. Then Tom Wilson scored, before Devante Smith-Pelly twisted the knife with 21 seconds remaining in the period.
The Caps let up in the second period and Vegas didn’t quit. But more posts and more Holtby saves later, the Caps clamped down before John Carlson scored from Alex Ovechkin’s spot on the power play to give the Caps a 4-0 lead.
Neal scored on the power play in the third, totally redeeming himself just like Lloyd redeemed himself to Harry in Dumb and Dumber.
When Vegas scored their second, cutting the lead to 4-2 with plenty of time to play, Michal Kempny put the nail in the coffin. Then Brett Connolly scored on a power play when the Golden Knights stopped playing.
This series isn’t over. The Caps need to win one more game. But for one night, in front of their home crowd, they delivered exactly what the fans wanted.
