from Alex Prewitt of Sports Illustrated,

They can see the silver now, three-feet tall and shining bright. It is creeping into their minds, worming through their dreams, closer than ever before. Here stand the Washington Capitals, slayers of playoff demons and healers of crushed souls, one victory from their first Stanley Cup with three chances at hoisting history. How could they not entertain that image as it barrels closer and closer toward reality? “Oh, yeah, I mean, you try not to,” stammered winger Brett Connolly, a slight glint spread across his face. “You’d be a liar to say it hasn’t yet.”...

They can feel this town ripping off its hinges over a 3-1 Stanley Cup Final lead, from the thousands of fans whose singsong serenades eventually settled on a thundering rendition of “WE! WANT! THE! CUP!” to the downtown streets that pulsed with equal parts red sweaters and delirium. “We’re trying to write our own story here and it seems like the rest of the city is onboard with that,” said T.J. Oshie, who put Washington ahead in the first period with a footsie power-play goal that looked more Messi than Messier. “There’s been heartbreak here. We know that. But I think that’s scarred us over and made us stronger for it. We’ll keep pressing on, keep working and try to do something cool.”

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