 The Capitals advanced to the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals on May 23, after beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games after a 4–0 rout at Amalie Arena in Tampa.The Capitals then faced the expansion Vegas Golden Knights and overcame them in five games, including a 4–3 win in the decisive game five at T-Mobile Arena after Lars Eller scored with about seven minutes to go.Not only was it the Capitals' first Stanley Cup win, but it was also the first championship for a Washington, D.C., team in one of the four major North American sports leagues (the NFL, the NHL, the NBA, and MLB) since the Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills 26 years beforehand in Super Bowl XXVI.