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NHL STANLEY CUP FINAL: CAPITALS vs GOLDEN KNIGHTS

June 7, 2018

Alex Ovechkin

Las Vegas, Nevada: Game Five

Capitals - 4, Golden Knights - 3

THE MODERATOR: We have 2018 Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Alex Ovechkin. Questions, please.

Q. You've been chasing this for so long. To finally lift that Cup over your head, are you able to put into words what that meant to you?
ALEX OVECHKIN: It meant everything. I think this moment, we waiting a long, long time. Since day one, Ted, I was at that house. We just kind of met the family. We were swimming in the pool. He told me, like, One day we're going to win it. It was the first year. I don't even know the team is.

I knew he wants it so bad. This organization want it so bad. It's nice to be part of it. It's nice to be in this organization all 13 years, 14, whatever. It just was enjoy. Was tough time, but we fight through it and we get result.

Now I'm going home to our family, our fans. It's just something special, you know. I don't know. I'm just very excited and I'm very happy right now.

Q. When you dreamt of it, when you thought of it, did you think it would be like this? Is it even better than you thought it would be?
ALEX OVECHKIN: This is even better. I think it's just like a dream. You know, it was hard, long season. We fight through it. We work so hard through all the years. We always together. Was a whole one team sticking to the system. Doesn't matter what happen, we didn't panic. Even after the third period, we knew we just have to push it, get result done.

Q. You've been on so many good teams. For this time to finally do it, what do you think was special about this team?
ALEX OVECHKIN: Every team was special. But I thought the only thing that last couple years, we didn't pass the second round. Just playing, and no satisfaction. Every year we want to fight through it. Finally we did.

We knew this year is going to be our year. We just have to believe it and keep working, keep playing.

Q. What was said after the second period in the locker room? You guys came out and dominated in the third.
ALEX OVECHKIN: It was pretty quiet. We just said, like, stay the same way, keep the same way, stay focused. Just grinding it out, you get it done.

Q. You were the long-running favorites for so many years, obviously came up short. Does it mean anything more to do it this year when everybody doubted you and didn't give the chance they had done so in the past?
ALEX OVECHKIN: How I said before this series, I don't think anybody was thinking it was going to be the Stanley Cup Finals between Capitals and Knights. So, again, I'm always saying after every game, if we going to play the right way, we're going to stick together, stick to the system, play smart, we're going to get results.

I think everybody was on same page, end up with a (indiscernible). Everybody on the same page, everybody do the same job, to help out the team. You know, we did it.

Q. You got to raise the Conn Smythe, but can you talk about your linemate, about how valuable Kuz has been to you this entire season and in the playoffs.
ALEX OVECHKIN: He was unbelievable. What I can say? He makes the magic over there. He keep puck on his hands, we knew, like, something's going to happen.

It was fun to watch. Fun to play with him in this series, this whole playoffs. I'm sure you can see how he played today, whole Finals. He scored big goals. He was (indiscernible), he was outstanding.

It's not about me. It's just the whole team deserve it. I'm just lucky to have this reward.

Q. Some of the exchanges you had with Marc-Andre Fleury in this series, how special it is to finally beat your long time nemesis?
ALEX OVECHKIN: Yeah, he knows how to win. He was the best player over there. We knew if we're going to have a chance, we're going to find a rebound, we're going to do the thing right, we were going to get success.

How I said, we was together and we get it done.

Q. Can you describe the moment with Ted. You picked him up off the ground, then you got to hand him the Cup.
ALEX OVECHKIN: Yeah, decided before. He told me one day we going to win it, before my first year, before my first start, game. We waited so long. We're waiting 13 years to get the Cup.

This is something. Something special. It's unbelievable.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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