Will of the hockey gods
Kaplan: The Capitals are the team of manifest destiny; with enough talent and will, it was inevitable they would conquer all of the Eastern Conference and end up here. The Golden Knights? On the surface, they're a team for those of us who crave instant gratification, usually something the hockey gods frown upon (the hockey gods, for example, are never believers in high shooting percentages). That said, the Golden Knights' ascent is a boon for the sport's visibility, and the roster is filled with players who were often overlooked, but persisted to work hard and bide their time to make it here. The hockey gods like that.
Wyshynski: It's a classic conundrum for those of us who believe, wholeheartedly, in the puck supernatural. Have the hockey gods, through odd bounces and good fortune, decided that the torture is over for the Capitals and Ovechkin? Or are the hockey gods mischievous, using the Golden Knights as an enduring lesson about the folly of player-personnel decisions? After deep thought and prayers, I feel it's both. However, the lesson has already been learned, so the Capitals have the hockey gods' favor. Why else would this journey end with a series against George McPhee and Marc-Andre Fleury?
Advantage: Capitals
Series picks
Wyshynski: Capitals in six.
Kaplan: Golden Knights in seven.