Wide World of Women

Alex Ovechkin is in the Eastern Conference Final. Let's take a moment to drink that in. For 13 years, Ovechkin has been plagued by two sad-but-true facts: he can't get past the second round and he can't beat Crosby in the playoffs. Thanks to Evgeny Kuznetsov's OT winner on Monday, BOTH monkeys are removed. Now he's four wins away from something he's never held: the Prince of Wales Trophy. Overall, this is the Washington Capitals' third East Final appearance and the first since 1998 (their only appearance in the Cup Final. The Tampa Bay Lightning, however, are in the East Final for the second time in four years, having last reached in 2015 (their last appearance in the Cup Final). The Bolts are the only team in this year's Final Four that has won a Cup, making this very interesting. A lot of experts have TB in the Final, and who can blame them? However, I love sentimental favorites, and what's more sentimental than Ovechkin finally playing for the Stanley Cup?

Prediction: Caps in six

#1

Capitals 4, Lightning 2

Caps dominate Game One; Ovechkin scores his first career Conference Final goal late in the first.

Capitals 6, Lightning 2

Caps head home with a 2-0 lead in the East Final.

I think the Caps have overcome their past postseason woes.

They are looking very strong now.

Lightning 4, Capitals 2

Bolts make it a series with a strong victory in Game 3.

Lightning 4, Capitals 2

The road winning trend continues; Bolts defeat Caps to even East Final.

Lightning 3, Capitals 2

The first home win of the series places the Bolts just one win away from their third Cup Final appearance.

Capitals 3, Lightning 0

For the fourth straight season, the Eastern Conference Final will go the max, thanks to Braden Holtby shutting the door on the Lightning.

Very nice pic of the Prince of Wales Trophy!

Capitals 4, Lightning 0

29 saves from Braden Holtby, and after 13 years, Alex Ovechkin will play for the Stanley Cup for the first time in his career. Caps in the Final for the first time since 1998.