LAS VEGAS (AP) Alex Ovechkin finally got to hoist the Stanley Cup. And then he raised the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the Stanley Cup Final.Fellow Russian linemate Evgeny Kuznetsov and goaltender Braden Holtby certainly did some heavy lifting of their own.In helping deliver a championship Washington had wanted for more than 40 years Sam Gagner Jersey , Kuznetsov was arguably the Capitals‘ most instrumental player. The 26-year-old, fifth-year pro finished with a playoff-leading 32 points, including his 20th assist in Thursday night’s series-clinching 4-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5.”He was unbelievable,” Ovechkin said of Kuznetsov. ”He makes the magic over there.”Holtby, overshadowed coming into the Final, bested three-time Stanley Cup champion goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. He not only allowed the Golden Knights just 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 2.04 goals-against average, .929 save percentage and six shutouts. That is the second-highest save percentage and fifth-best GAA in NHL postseason history among goaltenders with at least 50 outings.Washington coach Barry Trotz said it took losing the No. 1 role to Philipp Grubauer late in the regular season and the start of the postseason for Holtby to rediscover the foundation of his game he developed in Saskatchewan.”Just like all great goaltenders, you go through some dry spells in your game where you lose your way a little bit and your foundation Womens Devante Smith-Pelly Jersey ,” Trotz said. ”We had a conversation and he was very respectful. He understood that he wasn’t going to start in the playoffs. And he said, `If I get a chance to go back in, I’m gonna be really good for you.’ And he was.”His unbelievable stick save on Alex Tuch to lock up a win 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 http://www.officialcanucks.com/authentic-adidas-sven-baertschi-jersey , the most in the NHL.After losing 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.”Kuz is a great player, he’s a really, really talented player,” Vrana said. ”He can be the difference every game. He’s just unbelievable.”While Trotz acknowledged Ovechkin’s play and how much he’s meant to the franchise, he said Kuznetsov single-handedly took over games for the Capitals and proved to be just as valuable during their championship run.So much so Alex Tuch Jersey Kids , he wasn’t sure who was going to be named MVP of the Final.”That was a toss-up for me, I thought they were neck and neck if you ask me who gets the Conn Smythe, I thought that’s gonna be a tough choice,” Trotz said. ”You probably have to split that in half for me.”Trotz said Kuznetsov is just scratching the surface, and the rest of the league is starting to find just how good he is.Kuznetsov, who finished the regular season with 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.”Since Day 1 of training camp, we really play for each other http://www.officialknightsproshop.com/authentic-adidas-brad-hunt-jersey , we work for each other and we really try to help the young guys, older guys – it doesn’t matter,” Kuznetsov said. ”We just play for your partner and we compete every day.”—More Stanley Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/StanleyCupFinals ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The California road swing has traditionally posed problems for the Toronto Maple Leafs. That wasn’t the case this season.Morgan Reilly scored with 1:43 remaining in overtime to lift the Maple Leafs over the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 on Friday night for a three-game sweep through the Golden State.The win allowed Toronto to overtake Nashville and Tampa Bay for the NHL’s best record at 14-6-0. The Maple Leafs — who beat Los Angeles on Tuesday and San Jose on Thursday — have won six of seven and are unbeaten in three overtime games this season.Coming into the trip, Toronto had dropped 10 of 12 in California.“I’ve had lots of good teams come out here and not be able to do it. One team always seems to get you on the back to back,” Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. “I think we have some real good veterans, and we have to be steady on the rudder. We have the chance to be a real good team over time and have to keep on building.”Reilly was wide open to the right of goalie John Gibson when he took a pass from Mitch Marner and unleashed a wrist shot for his ninth of the season. It is Marner’s 20th assist and 26th point, which puts him tied for second in the league in scoring. Reilly is tied for sixth with 25 points.Patrick Marleau scored Toronto’s other goal. Garret Sparks, who was playing in only his fourth game of the season Cody Eakin Jersey , stopped a career-high 38 shots.“I felt pretty good. I didn’t like the goal I let in, but other than that it is all about competing and trying to get in front of the next puck,” Sparks said.Pontus Aberg scored for Anaheim and Gibson stopped 33 shots. The Ducks have dropped three of four.Anaheim had a couple of open-goal chances in the third period but was unable to convert.“We’ve been snakebit to provide offense and tonight was a demonstration of that,” Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. “It was probably the most frustrating time all year because of the open nets we missed.”Marleau opened the scoring less than seven minutes into the game when he positioned himself in front of the net and redirected Jake Gardiner’s pass with his left skate. It is the 539th goal of Marleau’s career, giving him sole possession of 32nd place on the NHL’s career listAberg tied it with less than two minutes remaining in the second period with a 45-foot slap shot for his team-leading sixth. The goal broke a Ducks’ scoring drought of 124:05, dating back to the second period of Monday’s game against Nashville.NOTES: Toronto is 9-0 when scoring first this season. … The Maple Leafs are 2-1-0 in the second game of back-to-backs. … Marleau has 32 goals against Anaheim, which ranks first among active players. … Toronto C John Tavares had a seven-game point streak snapped. He had five goals and five assists during that span. … Aberg has points in three of his last five games (two goals and an assist). … Anaheim has successfully killed 28 of its last 31 when it has been a man down. … The Ducks have gone to overtime in a league-high seven home games and are 3-2-2. … Anaheim has limited teams to two or fewer goals in 11 games this season, which is tied for second in the league. Boston leads with 12.UP NEXTMaple Leafs: Host Columbus on Monday.Ducks: Host Colorado on Sunday.