The Washington Capitals found a way to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history back in 2018, but one of the biggest moments in their playoff run was Evgeny Kuznetsov's overtime winning goal to eliminate the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6.
What if Kuznetsov hadn't scored that goal? Whether he was stopped on that breakaway, orAlex Ovechkin didn't pull off that pass to send him on a breakaway, or the pass wasn't perfect enough, how would things have turned out?
On one hand, the Penguins were coming off back-to-back Stanley Cup victories in 2016 and 2017, and they were still a powerhouse that often had the Capitals' number in a seven-game playoff series. Realistically, that goal not going in could have cost the Capitals that game, and potentially the series.
The Penguins were a very strong team; many fans picked them to win a third straight championship. Missing that breakaway for any reason may have resulted in a completely different team lifting the Stanley Cup in 2018.
On the other hand, the Capitals were playing some of the best hockey they had ever played, and losing that series almost seemed impossible, so even if Kuznetsov wasn't the one who scored the overtime winner, it is more likely than not that someone else on the roster finds a way to score and send the Caps to the Eastern Conference Final.
The 2018 Capitals found ways to win on a nightly basis, which was seen every night in the playoffs, and especially in the Stanley Cup Final when they finally won it all.
There is always a chance that the Penguins would've found a way to win if the Capitals missed. If the Penguins ended up winning that series, the Capitals may have pivoted in the offseason and gone a completely different route. But, even with that pivot, they may still be looking for their first Stanley Cup this season.
One thing that could have changed, too, was what Ovechkin may have done. If Ovechkin hadn't found a way to help win that Stanley Cup in 2018, he may have asked for a trade later in his career to push for his first ring. It's unlikely, but with the way the NHL landscape has changed, nothing is impossible, and him playing for another team sounds weird, but it's not something that would've been off the table.
Thankfully, Kuznetsov didn't miss, and the Capitals were able to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history in 2018. Ovechkin has gone on to be a lifetime member of the Capitals, and the team is now set up to push for their second championship in franchise history after a slight retool.
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