WASHINGTON (AP) – The Latest on Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Washington Capitals (all times local):
10:10 p.m.
The Washington Capitals are 20 minutes away from taking a 2-1 lead in the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, back left, of Russia, celebrates his goal against Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, front right, during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Second-period goals by Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov put Washington up 2-0 in Game 3. Washington holds a 21-13 advantage in shots on goal after two periods.
Washington lost the opener 6-4 in Vegas before rebounding to win 3-2 on Wednesday. The series shifted to the nation’s capital for Game 3, marking the first time 20 years the Capitals hosted the Stanley Cup Final.
When the Final has been tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 has gone on to win the Stanley Cup 21 of 27 chances (78 percent) since the series went to the best-of-seven format in 1939
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9:45 p.m.
Evgeny Kuznetsov has given the Washington Capitals a 2-0 lead in Game 3 of their Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Kuznetsov came down the right side in a 2-on-1 with Jay Beagle and pushed a shot into the left side of the net past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury at 12:50 of the second period. Kuznetsov missed most of Game 2 with what appeared to be a left arm injury.
The goal came after Washington defenseman Brooks Orpik looked dazed following a hit from Golden Knights forward James Neal. He was not pulled from the game to go through concussion protocol.
Orpik went to the bench following the check in the corner but did not go down the tunnel for evaluation. The NHL’s concussion protocol states that a player exhibiting any possible concussion symptoms must be evaluated, and the league has spotters in place to pull players if that’s suspected.
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9:25 p.m.
Alex Ovechkin has given the Washington Capitals a 1-0 lead over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Ovechkin scored on a shot from the left side at 1:10 of the second period as he was falling over Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb to end a flurry that saw goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury make three saves before Ovechkin connected.
It was Ovechkin’s 14th goal of the playoffs, tying the franchise mark set by John Druce in 1990.
The series is tied at one game apiece. This is the first Stanley Cup Final held in the nation’s capital since 1998.
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9:05 p.m.
The Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights have skated through a scoreless first period, though both teams had chances to get on the board first in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury swatted away a close shot by Alex Ovechkin, and the Capitals had an apparent goal taken away when winger Devante Smith-Pelly was called for goalie interference.
Golden Knights’ leading scorer, Jonathan Marchessault, hit the right post with a shot at the 14-minute mark.
Washington finished with 7-5 advantage in shots. There were 15 goals total in the first two games, the most in a Final since 1982.
Toward the end of the period, Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny left the ice. He took a spill in pregame warmups after crashing into the boards.
There’s plenty of star power in the stands, including a few people you never knew were Capitals fans.
Keenan Thompson, a longtime cast member of “Saturday Night Live,” spent this Saturday night watching hockey. He waved to the crowd and tipped his red hat, which said, “ALL CAPS.”
Actress Lynda Carter showed off her red Capitals jersey. Former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs yelled “Let’s Go Caps!” over the public address system and game show host Pat Sajak introduced the starting lineups.
The series is tied 1-1. It is the first Final game in Washington in 20 years.
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8:40 p.m.
Plenty of action between Vegas and Washington in the opening minutes of Game 3, even if the game remained scoreless as the first period approached its midpoint. The fast pace of the first two games has continued.
The Capitals missed an early chance to score when Vegas goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury dived to stop a close-in shot by Alex Ovechkin.
With around five minutes elapsed, Washington had an apparent goal wiped out when Capitals winger Devante Smith-Pelly was called for goaltender interference when he collided with Fleury as a shot found the net.
Washington subsequently killed the penalty.
There were 15 goals total in the first two games, the most in a Final since 1982.
The series is tied 1-1. It is the first Final game in Washington in 20 years.
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8:25 p.m.
Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final is under way with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Michal Kempny in the Capitals’ lineup.
Kuznetsov was a game-time decision with an apparent left arm injury resulting from a hit from Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb that caused him to leave Game 2. Kempny stepped on a puck and crashed into the boards during pregame warmups but returned.
The pregame festivities moved from a Sting and Shaggy concert outside to a red-rocking party inside Capital One Arena, where fans shook red glow sticks as three-time Redskins Super Bowl-winning coach did the “Let’s Go Caps!” chant as fan of the game.
After Vegas put on a show in the first two games of the series with Michael Buffer introducing players and a Knight vanquishing Capitals invaders, Washington had “Wheel of Fortune” host and longtime season-ticket holder Pat Sajak reading off the starting lineups. Fans drowned out the Golden Knights introductions with boos – except for former Capitals defenseman Nate Schmidt.
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7 p.m.
Almost 100-degree heat wreaked havoc on ice conditions in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final in Las Vegas, and humidity threatens to affect it in Game 3 in Washington.
Humid weather outside – typical for the nation’s capital in June – has Capitals coach Barry Trotz wondering just how the ice will be at Capital One Arena.
“We don’t know how the ice conditions are going to be in our rink,” Trotz said after the morning skate at the Capitals’ suburban practice facility. “Humidity is not kind to ice. One thing I’ve learned over my years is it’s not necessarily the heat but the humidity. If you get the combination of both, you could have a tough night. We’ll just see how it is.”
Vegas players reported decent conditions after their morning skate at Capital One Arena, or at least better than Game 1 in the desert. Pre-game warmups will be important for the Capitals, who haven’t skated on their home ice surface since Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final on May 21.
“You gauge it right away,” Trotz said. “Guys have to manage that. We’ll see right away. I think in warmup, even as a coach standing on the bench, you have a feel right away on how the ice is. I think we’ll have to keep it simple. We’ll have to keep our emotions in check, have good energy, and we will.”
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6:20 p.m.
Vegas had Imagine Dragons inside the arena before Game 2. Washington has Sting and Shaggy playing outside before Game 3.
Sting and Shaggy collaborated on a new reggae lite album, “44/876,” and are performing at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery steps away from Capital One Arena. After the concert, fans not attending the first Stanley Cup Final game in Washington since 1998 can watch on video boards stationed outside.
Fall Out Boy is scheduled to play before Game 4 on Monday.
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6:05 p.m.
It’s wet outside, and it’s sure to be red inside the Washington Capitals’ home arena for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.
After splitting a pair of games in Las Vegas, the Capitals are preparing to host the final round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 20 years.
The expansion Golden Knights have gone 6-2 on the road during their surprising run to the Finals, numbers that take the sting out of losing home-ice advantage with a 3-2 loss on Wednesday.
Washington is 4-5 at home, but captured a must-win 3-0 decision over Tampa Bay before capturing the Eastern Conference title with a victory in Game 7 on the road.
The Capitals were hoping to have Evgeny Kuznetsov, who skated Saturday morning after missing most of Game 2 with an upper-body injury.
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More Stanley Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/StanleyCupFinals
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury falls to the ice after Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly (25) collided with him during the first period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Washington. Smith-Pelly was called for a goaltender interference and there was no goal on the play. (Bruce Bennett/Pool Photo via AP)
Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin, of Russia, celebrates his goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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