The Golden Knights beat the Capitals in a dramatic Stanley Cup Game 1

The Vegas Golden Knights are three wins from a championship in their first season. They beat the Washington Capitals on Monday in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, 6-4.

The difference in the game wasn’t Marc-Andre Fleury, Braden Holtby, or Alex Ovechkin. Instead, it was Vegas’ fourth-line forwards. They scored all three of the Knights’ goals in the third period, which turned a 4-3 Washington lead into a win for the home team.

Ryan Reaves scored a game-tying goal 2:41 into the third, a minute and a half after Tom Wilson put the Capitals in front. Tomas Nosek scored twice after that, including once into an empty net to seal the result for Vegas. Before Nosek’s empty-netter, the Capitals came inches away from tying the game in a six-on-five situation. Wilson set up Lars Eller in front of the Golden Knights’ net, but Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb bothered Eller just enough to get him to fan on the puck and squander a golden scoring chance.

Game 2 is Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Below: a running chronicle of the game as it unfolded:

0:03: VGK 6, WAS 4

Tomas Nosek scores into an empty net. Vegas will win.

Updates denote time remaining in a period, with the most recent first:

2:53: VGK 5, WAS 4

The Capitals have gotten a few decent look on Marc-Andre Fleury, but they haven’t ended those chances by putting pucks on net cleanly. The Knights are close.

6:09: VGK 5, WAS 4

Great news for the Golden Knights:

He’d gone to the locker room after a high hit earlier in the period by Washington’s Tom Wilson.

7:25: VGK 5, WAS 4

Braden Holtby’s nicest save of the evening just kept the Capitals in the game. David Perron walked out from behind him and shot high-glove on Holtby, who snared it.

8:57: VGK 5, WAS 4

The goal Vegas just scored to take the lead is largely the fault of Washington winger Devante Smith-Pelly. He let VGK defenseman Shea Theodore have the passing lane that Theodore used to get the puck through a lot of bodies to an open Tomas Nosek.

10:16: VGK 5, WAS 4

Vegas’ fourth line has its second goal of the period. Shea Theodore controlled the back and walked it down the left boards, and Tomas Nosek set up just to the right of Braden Holtby. Theodore threaded a pass through traffic, and Nosek one-timed it past Braden Holtby.

That’s two goals on four shots in the period for Vegas. It’s Nosek’s second of the playoffs.

10:32: WAS 4, VGK 4

The Golden Knights’ fourth line — which got a goal earlier in the period off the stick of Ryan Reaves — continues to buzz. Reaves almost just scored his second of the game. On the other end of the ice, Evgeny Kuznetsov almost beat Marc-Andre Fleury on a wraparound.

13:14: WAS 4, VGK 4

The Capitals’ Tom Wilson, who has a history of hits that cross lines, just laid out Jonathan Marchessault in open ice, when Marchessault didn’t have the puck. Referees didn’t penalize him. A few minutes ago, they didn’t call Vegas’ Ryan Reaves for a cross-check when he laid one onto the back of Washington’s John Carlson. And this is what happens:

Marchessault just walked down the tunnel to the Vegas locker room, and NBC’s Pierre McGuire said he’d go into the league’s concussion protocol. That’s a huge loss for Vegas.

Officials settled on putting one player from both teams in the penalty box. Here’s one former NHL official’s view on what should’ve happened to Wilson following that hit:

14:35: WAS 4, VGK 4

John Carlson has one goal for the Capitals. He could easily have a hat trick, as he’s now put two shots off the post. Ping.

17:19: WAS 4, VGK 4

Ryan Reaves has tied it for Vegas, a minute and a half after Tom Wilson put the Capitals ahead. That’s Reaves’ second goal in as many games, after he scored the game-winner in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final. Reaves had four goals in 79 regular-season games this year, including zero in 21 after the Knights traded for him.

Reaves should’ve been penalized for cross-checking John Carlson to set up that goal. Alas, he wasn’t, and the Golden Knights have gotten new life from an officiating mistake.

18:50: WAS 4, VGK 3

Tom Wilson scores to put the Capitals ahead. Or, technically he does. Marc-Andre Fleury lost track of the puck and kicked it into his own goal by accident.

19:54: WAS 3, VGK 3

They’re underway in the final period.

Shots in the second period were 12-7 in the Golden Knights’ favor in the middle period, and they’re 21-15 in that direction for the game. Vegas has maintained an edge in shot attempts overall, but the teams have generated about an even number of scoring chances — 14 apiece at even strength, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Washington’s best line has arguably been its third line of Andre Burakovsky, Lars Eller, and Brett Connolly. In addition to producing the Caps’ first goal back in the first period, that line has had the puck most of the time it’s been on the ice. Washington’s controlled more than 60 percent of the shot attempts while they’ve been on the ice.

The Golden Knights’ best players have been their best players. Reilly Smith, William Karlsson, and Jonathan Marchessault are their top forward line, and they’ve been their top forwards by possession stats, too. Karlsson and Smith have scored two of the Knights’ three goals, and Marchessault has an assist on the board.

Washington has a 28-19 edge in hits, led by seven from Tom Wilson. Ryan Reaves and Luca Sbisa lead the Golden Knights in hits with three apiece.

Updates denote time remaining in a period, with the most recent first:

0:00: VGK 3, WAS 3

3:47: VGK 3, WAS 3

The Golden Knights killed off their first penalty of the night. John Carlson put a shot off the post, which would’ve given the Capitals lead if it were a touch lower and to the right. Washington didn’t register a shot on goal in those two minutes.

6:05: VGK 3, WAS 3

The Capitals are getting their first power play of the series. The Golden Knights were caught with too many skaters on the ice — seven skaters, so extra too many men.

Washington’s power play has clicked at 29 percent in the playoffs, second-best in the league.

8:46: VGK 3, WAS 3

This game has a frenetic pace and feels like it could end 5-4 or 6-5. The Golden Knights have maintained a slight territorial edge at five-on-five, but both teams are coughing up prime scoring chances. That makes it hard to predict where they’re going.

11:31: VGK 3, WAS 3

The game is tied again.

T.J. Oshie just made his second nifty pass of the game to set up an easy goal for a teammate. Reilly Smith lost track of John Carlson, and Oshie gave his teammate a layup with a no-look dish. Marc-Andre Fleury had no chance.

Right before that sequence, Braden Holtby made this save for the Caps:

12:59: VGK 3, WAS 2

13:16: VGK 3, WAS 2

Here’s the Reilly Smith goal a few minutes ago that put Vegas ahead:

16:39: VGK 3, WAS 2

And the Golden Knights are back in front, after a dominant few minutes to start the second. Braden Holtby let up an ugly rebound that led to a second chance for the Golden Knights on a rush, and the puck eventually came to Reilly Smith, who was all alone. He didn’t miss.

17:07: WAS 2, VGK 2

The Golden Knights have gotten off to an excellent start in the second period. The puck’s spent a lot of time in the Washington end, and Jonathan Marchessault and Ryan Reaves almost combined for a goal.

20:00: WAS 2, VGK 2

The second period is underway in this tie game, after a quick delay during which officials appeared to be talking about ice quality.

In the words of NBC’s Doc Emrick: “That was quite a period.”

For nearly the first 15 minutes, the Golden Knights dominated. Washington was stuck on one shot on goal through that span. But the Capitals scored a couple of quick goals, one on a net-front redirection and another after some terrific cycling near the goal line by T.J. Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom. The Golden Knights answered shortly after with a nice, stay-with-it goal by their leading scorer during the regular season, William Karlsson.

All in all, things have been about even. Vegas has had a slight territorial edge at five-on-five, putting 23 attempts on goal to the Capitals’ 18. But we’re all in for a heart rate-raising last 40 minutes.

0:44: WAS 2, VGK 2

Marc-Andre Fleury has looked a little iffy, but he just made two nice stops from in close against Alex Ovechkin, who’d camped out at the right post.

1:41: WAS 2, VGK 2

Pucks are flying into nets now. Reilly Smith fired wide and to the left of Braden Holtby, but it took a big bounce off the end boards, and William Karlsson collected it and stuffed it past Braden Holtby to tie the game for Vegas. We’ve seen three goals in three and a half minutes.

4:37: WAS 2, VGK 1

That’s two goals in 42 seconds for the Capitals. T.J. Oshie wrapped around the net and almost seemed to fan on the puck, but Nicklas Backstrom scooped it up and lifted it over the left pad of Marc-Andre Fleury, just inside the post. Washington is cooking.

5:19: VGK 1, WAS 1

The Capitals tie it. A shot from the blue line by defenseman Michal Kempny became a tip from in front of the net by Brett Connolly, and Marc-Andre Fleury couldn’t stop it. The Capitals have three shots on goal to the Golden Knights’ eight, but the score is now even. It looked like the puck went first off Connolly’s stick, then off the heel of the Knights’ Colin Miller before skidding past the goaltender, Fleury.

5:43: VGK 1, WAS 0

The Capitals got their first shot on goal 5:38 into the game, when Brett Connolly put a long wrister on Marc-Andre Fleury. The Capitals do not have once since then, in almost nine minutes. Plus, a bit of chippiness after the last whistle, between a Vegas fourth-liner and the Capitals’ first-line center. That’s better for Vegas than Washington:

9:02: VGK 1, WAS 0

The Golden Knights have a 7-1 advantage in shots on goal and have overwhelmingly had the territorial advantage so far. Marc-Andre Fleury has barely had to work.

12:45: VGK 1, WAS 0

The first goal of the series goes to the Golden Knights. On a power play, Colin Miller uncorked a slapper that beat Braden Holtby straight on, with a bit of a screen from Erik Haula. Holtby looked like he expected a redirect from Haula, but none came.

Haula got the lone assist on the goal. Miller’s slapper was from 44 feet out.

14:07: WAS 0, VGK 0

Andre Burakovsky is off to the penalty box for boarding Cody Eakin in the Capitals’ offensive zone. The first power play of the Final goes to the Golden Knights.

Here was Vegas’ bonkers pregame show, if you missed it:

17:48: WAS 0, VGK 0

The Golden Knights put the first shot on goal, a mini-milestone.

18:40: WAS 0, VGK 0

They’re underway in the Stanley Cup Final, after a fun pregame show that included lots of medieval cosplay and boxing announcer Michael Buffer announcing the lineups.

Just before faceoff

The Capitals will start with their top line: Alex Ovechkin on the left wing, Evgeny Kuznetsov at center, Tom Wilson at right wing, plus defensemen Dmitry Orlov and Matt Niskanen.

The Knights start their top guys, too: Reilly Smith at left wing, William Karlsson at center, Jonathan Marchessault at right wing, plus D-men Nate Schmidt and Brayden McNabb.

Braden Holtby and Marc-Andre Fleury are in goal.

Both teams are rolling with their usual lineups. The referees for tonight’s game are Marc Joannette and Wes McCauley. The linesmen are Matt MacPherson and Jonny Murray.

The NHL hired Lil Jon to do a pregame concert, and the people inside T-Mobile Arena were extremely into it when they saw Jon on the video board.

The teams’ reported lines in their pregame skates, for Washington:

And for Vegas:

The atmosphere at T-Mobile Arena looks incredible. Every Stanley Cup game happens in a loud building, but this one seems like it’s a whole different thing.

The Vegas Golden Knights are in their first season and have home ice advantage for the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, beginning Monday night against the Washington Capitals in Game 1 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (8 p.m., NBC).

Both teams are in search of their first Stanley Cup. The Golden Knights are the bigger story since this is their inaugural season, but the Capitals have an underdog story of their own. Washington has reached the postseason in 28 of their 43 NHL seasons but are in search of their first championship.

The Capitals reached the Stanley Cup Final once previously, falling to the Detroit Red Wings in 1998. That was before Alex Ovechkin came around. The 13-year vet led the NHL with 49 goals in 2017-2018, his seventh time topping the NHL. Ovechkin’s 12 goals this postseason ranks second only to Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele (14).

Ovechkin and the Caps will have to take their shots against a red-hot netminder in Marc-Andre Fleury, who sports an unreal .947 save percentage and four shutouts in the postseason.

Vegas is 6-1 at home so far in the playoffs, but the Capitals are 8-2 on the road this postseason.

The Golden Knights won both regular season meetings with the Capitals this season, winning 3-0 on Dec. 23 in Washington and 4-3 on Feb. 4 in Las Vegas.

Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas

Game time: 8 p.m. ET

TV: NBC, CBC, SN, TVA Sports

Announcers: Doc Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Pierre McGuire on NBC

Online streaming: NBC Sports