ANTICIPATION BUILDS FOR GOLDEN KNIGHTS-CAPITALS STANLEY CUP FINAL
The Las Vegas Strip will get its first taste of Stanley Cup Final festivities today as the Western Conference champion Golden Knights and Eastern Conference champion Capitals descend on T-Mobile Arena for practice and Media Day. The two clubs will face off in Game 1 on Monday at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (NBC, CBC, SN, TVAS).
* Storylines are aplenty heading into the first-ever playoff meeting between the Golden Knights and Capitals, with a first-time Stanley Cup champion guaranteed and only two previous winners between the two rosters.
* Vegas goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury won three Stanley Cups as a member of the Penguins (2009, 2016, 2017), including one while playing with current Washington defenseman Brooks Orpik (2009). In fact, the only other player from either club (min. 1 GP this postseason) who has skated in the Stanley Cup Final is Golden Knights forward James Neal (2017 w/ NSH).
* More than 6,000 fans filled the stands to watch the Capitals’ final home practice before the Stanley Cup Final, with fans then lining the top deck of the parking garage for one last send-off.
* Watch the 2018 Stanley Cup Final Trailer: Different journeys, same dream.
STRONG TIES LINK GENERAL MANAGERS McPHEE, MacLELLAN
General managers George McPhee of the Golden Knights and Brian MacLellan of the Capitals share a long connection that goes back to playing minor hockey together in their hometown.
* Born fewer than four months apart in Guelph, Ont., the pair were teammates on the 1977-78 Guelph Platers that captured the Canadian ‘Jr. A’ championship, played four seasons together at Bowling Green State University from 1978-79 through 1981-82, and wore the same uniform again during their NHL playing careers, with the Rangers in 1985-86. The pair later worked together in the Capitals’ front office from 2000-14 during McPhee’s tenure as general manager.
* General manager of the Capitals from 1997-2014, McPhee acquired 13 of Washington’s 25 players who have appeared in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Beyond center Jay Beagle (who McPhee signed on March 26, 2008), McPhee also drafted 12 current members of the Capitals roster.
* As GM in Washington, McPhee acquired two players currently on the Golden Knights’ roster: defenseman Nate Schmidt (signed as a free agent in 2013) and center Cody Eakin (drafted in the 3rd round, 85th overall, in 2009).
* McPhee is the first GM in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) and just the second in League history to face a former team of which he was GM in the Stanley Cup Final. The only other NHL GM to do so: Tommy Gorman, whose Canadiens defeated the Black Hawks in the 1944 Stanley Cup Final after Gorman led Chicago to the championship in 1934 (vs. DET).
NHL NETWORK SET FOR 70+ HOURS OF LIVE ON-SITE COVERAGE
NHL Network will have more than 70 hours of live programming from the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, beginning today with NHL Tonight: Stanley Cup Final Media Day, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
In addition to its existing distribution, a free preview of NHL Network will be offered to DISH customers nationwide, to Cox customers in Las Vegas and Virginia, to Comcast customers in Washington, DC and Baltimore, and to RCN customers in Washington, DC.
Click here for NHL Network’s complete programming schedule, which includes the premiere of Picture Perfect: The 1992-93 Season, the latest installment of the documentary series NHL Network Originals.
UPDATED 2018 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS INFORMATION GUIDE
Stanley Cup Playoffs, featuring notes on the Conference Finals as well as updated records through the Conference Finals, now is available for download to subscribers of the NHL’s Media site.
QUICK CLICKS
· Stanley Cup Final quiz
· Behind The Numbers: Braden Holtby’s hot hand
· Golden Knights vs. Capitals Stanley Cup Final preview
· VIDEO: One second from every playoff game through three rounds
· Golden Knights dream of Hollywood ending for Stanley Cup Final run
Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.
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