Which franchise won its first Stanley Cup in 2018?

The Washington Capitals won their first Stanley Cup in 2018.

Washington defeated the expansion Vegas Golden Knights four games to one in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, finishing the championship series on June 7, 2018. The victory came in the Capitals’ 44th season and their second Final appearance; their previous trip, in 1998, ended in a sweep by the Detroit Red Wings.

The Capitals lost Game 1 but won the next four games. In the deciding Game 5, Lars Eller scored the championship-winning goal in the third period. Captain Alexander Ovechkin lifted the Cup and also won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

A common mix-up is confusing Washington’s first title with Vegas’s first Final appearance. The Golden Knights reached the championship round in their inaugural season, but Washington was the franchise that captured the Cup.