Kuznetsov helps Caps take control

WASHINGTON - Alex Ovechkin went airborne, Evgeny Kuznetsov flapped his arms like a bird of prey and the Washington Capitals are flying high, just two wins away from winning the Stanley Cup. Ovechkin dived to score his 14th goal of the playoffs and raised his arms in joy when Kuznetsov beat Marc-Andre Fleury and broke out his signature bird celebration in a second period the two Russians will long remember. Led by their two best players, the Capitals beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1 on Saturday night to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final.

"I knew Kuzy would elevate his game," coach Barry Trotz said. "I thought it was sort of the right thing that in a playoff game, first (home) victory in the finals that Alex would score the first goal. It was sort of poetic justice if you will for all the tough times."

Fired up for the first Cup Final game in Washington since 1998, the Capitals unloaded chance after chance on Fleury, who made 23 saves but couldn't backstop a frazzled, disjointed team that lost two games in a row for the first time in the playoffs.