Kuznetsov and Holtby prove just as valuable as Ovechkin

LAS VEGAS (AP) Alex Ovechkin finally got to hoist the Stanley Cup and then he lifted the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the Stanley Cup Final.

Fellow Russian linemate Evgeny Kuznetsov and goaltender Braden Holtby certainly did their part, too.

In helping deliver the title Washington wanted for more than 40 years, Kuznetsov was arguably the Capitals’ most instrumental player in winning the Cup. The 26-year-old, fifth-year pro finished with a playoff-leading 32 points, including his 20th assist in Thursday night’s 4-3 series-clinching win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5.

”In between the second and third, we had the same feeling in the locker room,” Holtby said. ”We knew we could pick it up and level and everybody did. I can’t wait to enjoy this.”

Holtby, overshadowed coming into the Final, bested three-time Stanley Cup champion goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. He not only allowing the Golden Knights only eight goals over the last four games, but won in Vegas twice.

Holtby is now 45-37 in 82 career playoff appearances – all with the Capitals – while compiling a 2.03 goals-against average, .929 save percentage and six shutouts. That is the second-highest save percentage and fifth-best goals-against average in NHL postseason history among goaltenders with at least 50 outings.

His unbelievable stick save on Alex Tuch in Game 2 will ring forever in Caps history.

”I think any big play is going to be a turning point,” Holtby said humbly. ”It was a big play in the game, but the credit really goes to our guys because we didn’t get complacent. We knew we could do something special and we did.”

With Ovechkin, Kuznetsov and Holtby leading the charge, Washington wasn’t about to blow another 3-1 lead, an unwelcome feature of its postseason past. Prior to this season, the Capitals had lost five series when leading 3-1 – the most in the NHL.

But after losing the Game 1, the Capitals won four straight to win the Cup, outscoring the Golden Knights 16-8 along the way. For the series, Kuznetsov scored one goal and assisted on seven others, including Jakub Vrana’s goal that opened the scoring for the Capitals in Game 5.

Kuznetsov, who finished the regular season with 83 points (27 goals and 56 assists), scored 12 goals and had 20 assists in the postseason. He was instrumental in Washington’s 6-2 demolition of the Golden Knights in Game 4, when he registered four assists to tie a single-game Stanley Cup Final record.

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