Everything is done with a little extra pizazz in Vegas…even the Stanley Cup Finals. Game one provided end-to-end action in a crazed building that saw ten goals and a Final’s record of four lead changes as the expansion Golden Knights grabbed the opener with a 6-4 win over the Washington Capitals. Adding to the local interest here in Missouri is the way former St. Louis Blues players are contributing to both teams.
Ryan Reaves, a fourth line guy, who was a fan favorite for not being afraid to mix it up with the opposing team parked himself out in front of the Capitals nets and buried his second goal of this playoff run to tie the game at 4-4.
Reaves was traded to Pittsburgh by St. Louis with St. Louis’ 2nd round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft for Oskar Sundqvist and Pittsburgh’s 1st round pick. In February, Reaves was shipped to Vegas with Pittsburgh’s 4th round pick in 2018 NHL Draft for Tobias Lindberg. So far, in seven games that Reaves has dressed for the Golden Knights, he has scored twice. In 36 career playoff games with the Blues, he scored just once.
Former Blues first-round pick T.J. Oshie never quite clicked when it came to the playoffs in St. Louis. In 30 career playoff games in St. Louis, Oshie registered five goals and four assists. In Washington, he has blossomed into the goal scorer and playmaker Blues fans had longed for. In 43 postseason games with the Capitals, Oshie has netted 17 goals and 22 assists, including two in last night’s loss. Check out this no-look pass to a wide-open John Carlson moments after Oshie was denied a goal.
Finally, David Perron a first-round pick of St. Louis in 2007, managed two goals and eight assists in 29 career playoff games for the Blues. In just 12 playoff games with Vegas, Perron has equaled the number of assists he had in St. Louis.
Game Two of the Stanley Cup Finals are Wednesday night.