BOWLING GREEN — For nearly all of the viewing public, the 2018 Stanley Cup Final was notable for its newness. The Vegas Golden Knights were playing for a championship in their expansion season, and the Alexander Ovechkin-era Washington Capitals finally broke through the Eastern Conference.
For the two general managers, the meeting was, shall we say, not the first.
General managers Brian MacLellan of the Capitals and George McPhee of the Knights, longtime friends and former teammates at Bowling Green State University, found themselves in competition for the most coveted trophy in all of sports.
The two men spoke before one of the games, and MacLellan chuckled when asked for his memory of the night.