Stanley Cup Finals 2018: All you need to know

• e-mail

With the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs in the record books, this year’s much-anticipated Stanley Cup Finals has begun in earnest.

This year’s iteration came as a surprise to many, as the championship-starved Washington Capitals, looking for their first Stanley Cup ever, have been tasked with facing down the Vegas Golden Knights, the NHL’s newest team that’s stunned ice hockey fans in North America by becoming competitive so fast.

In Game 1, the Golden Knights drew first blood, defeating the Capitals in a wild 6-4 shootout.

Here’s all you need to know about what the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Vegas Golden Knights took Game 1 after a fast-paced, intense shootout that ended 6-4

What are the Stanley Cup Finals?

The Stanley Cup Finals are the championship series held annually to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup in the National Hockey League.

The origins of the series goes back to 1892 when Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor-General of Canada, first held a tournament to award the Stanley Cup to the top amateur team in the country.

Professional teams later became eligible to compete for the Stanley Cup in 1906 and after a series of mergers between the various hockey leagues in North America, the National Hockey League later took control of the Stanley Cup and continued with the tradition of holding a championship series at the end of every season to determine its winner.

2018 Stanley Cup Final teams

The Vegas Golden Knights are taking on the Washington Capitals for the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals.

The current Stanley Cup Finals between the two teams are notable for a number of reasons. The tournament, the first playoff matchup between the two teams, sees the Golden Knights making their Stanley Cup Finals debut in their inaugural season, being the first team to do so since the St. Louis Blues in 1968.

The tournament is also only the second appearance for the Washington Capitals and their first since 1998, when they were felled by the Detroit Red Wings in a four-game sweep. It’s also the first Stanley Cup Finals since 2007 to feature two teams who previously had never won a Stanley Cup.

When are the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals?

The 2018 Stanley Cup Finals started on Monday, May 28. Game 7, if necessary, will occur on June 13.

Stanley Cup Finals 2018 schedule

The dates, times and channels for the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals from Game 2 onward are as follows:

Game 2

Wednesday, May 30

Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden Knights at 8pm EST on CBC, NBCSN and SN

Game 3

Saturday, June 2

Vegas Golden Knights at Washington Capitals at 8pm EST on CNC, NBCSN and SN

Game 4

Monday, June 4

Vegas Golden Knights at Washington Capitals at 8pm EST on CBC, NBC and SN

Game 5 (if necessary)

Thursday, June 7

Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden Knights at 8pm EST on CBC, NBC and SN

Game 6 (if necessary)

Sunday, June 10

Vegas Golden Knights at Washington Capitals at 8pm EST on CBC, NBC and Sn

Game 7 (if necessary)

Wednesday, June 13

Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden Knights at 8pm EST on CNC, NBC and SN

How to watch the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals on TV

Games 2 and 3 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals can be seen on CBC, NBCSN and SN while Games 4, 5, 6, and 7 can be seen on CBC, NBC and SN.

The games can also be livestreamed on NBC Sports.

Who will win the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals?

Las Vegas odds makers have opened the Golden Knights as -150 favorites over the Capitals.

History could indeed be on the Golden Knights’s side after their Game 1 win, as the winner of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals has gone on to ultimately win the series 61 out of 78 times overall, according to ESPN.

2018 Stanley Cup Finals tickets

Tickets for the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals have been going for record prices and are available on Stub Hub, Seat Geek, Vivid Seats and Ticket City.

Who won the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals?

The Pittsburgh Penguins proved victorious in the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals, defeating the Nashville Predators in six games last year.

The Penguins also won the Stanley Cup in 1991, 1992, 2009 and 2016.

What is the Stanley Cup?

The Stanley Cup is the official championship trophy of the National Hockey League.

The oldest championship trophy in North American professional sports, the trophy is notable for being passed down from victorious team to victorious team over the years, in contrast to most other championship trophies around the world.

Why is it called the Stanley Cup?

The historic trophy is named after Lord Stanley of Preston, who served as the Governor-General of Canada from 1888 to 1893. Stanley, who quickly took an interest in ice hockey after taking up the post, commissioned the trophy in 1892 as the championship trophy for the top amateur hockey club in Canada.

As ice hockey became more popular and professionalized in North America in the early 1900s, the Stanley Cup was eventually acquired by the National Hockey League, which crowned it the de factor championship award of the league in 1926 and the official championship award later in 1947.