The set-up: The Stanley Cup finals opens in Las Vegas, as the long-time underachieving Washington Capitals will square off in Game 1 of this he best-of-seven series with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights. Who could have ever predicted this back in October? The Capitals will make their first appearance in the finals since 1998 while seeking their first-ever Cup, after losing in the second round of the playoffs as the Presidents' Trophy winners in 2016 and 2017. Washington lost the first two games of the playoffs at home before beating Columbus in six contests, eliminated its nemesis Pittsburgh in six games (clincher came on the road) and then won at Tampa Bay in Game 7 on Wednesday to reach the finals in the 13th season for seven-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin (607 goals). The expansion Golden Knights broke record after record for a first-year club during the regular season and then needed only 15 games to dispatch Los Angeles, San Jose and Winnipeg in the Western Conference playoffs to give themselves seven days off before facing the Ovechkin-led Capitals.

Washington: Caps captain Ovechkin boasts career highs of 12 goals and 22 points in the playoffs after scoring the winner in Game 7 on Wednesday and Washington GM Brian MacLellan told reporters: "This is the most systematic he's played throughout his career." Ovechkin has gotten plenty of help from fellow Russian Evgeny Kuznetsov, who has a franchise-record 24 playoff points this season and owns at least one in 10 straight contests (six goals). Defenseman Brooks Orpik is the only Washington player with Stanley Cup finals experience and the 37-year-old is having his best career postseason with three assists and an NHL-best, plus-15 rating. Goalie Braden Holtby began the postseason on the bench but enters the finals 12-6-0 in the playoffs with a 2.04 goals-against average and .924 save percentage, after posting shutouts in Games 6 & 7 to help eliminate the Lightning.

Vegas: Speaking of goaltending, the Golden Knights' Marc-Andre Fleury, is 12-3 with a 1.68 GAA and .947 save percentage in the playoff. Fleury won three Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh, including the last two seasons, and veteran forward James Neal reached the finals with Nashville in 2017 to give Vegas two players with plenty of knowledge on this big stage. "I think they're just, with their experience and presence, they stay calm," Golden Knights center William Karlsson, who has 13 points in the playoffs after scoring 43 goals in the regular season, told reporters. Forward Reilly Smith is tied for second in the league during the playoffs with 14 assists, while Jonathan Marchessault boasts eight goals to along with his team-high 18 points in the postseason told NHL.com: "We're on a mission. Nobody is going to stand in front of us."

The pick: It's put up or shut up for both teams on Memorial Day in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena. This is the first finals in 11 years and the sixth in NHL history, to match two teams both going after their first Stanley Cup. Washington is a remarkable 8-2 on the road in the playoffs, after a 4-0 shutout of Tampa Bay in Game 7 of the Eastern finals this past Wednesday (note: the record for road wins in a playoff is 10). However, Vegas is a dominating 35-10-3 at home this year (including 6-1 in the playoffs), outscoring opponents 3.56-to-2.38 GPG. Make Vegas an 8* play.