Schmidt will have the task of trying to slow down the Capitals' top line, which is highlighted by captain Alex Ovechkin, who leads Washington with 12 goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
For Vegas to be successful, Schmidt said it will need to stay out of the penalty box to avoid giving Washington any power plays. In the two games against the Capitals in the regular season, the Golden Knights were 6-for-6 on the penalty kill and won each game.
"Both times, I thought we played our game," Schmidt said. "I know a lot of those guys and I know what they like to do. It helps me. I think it helps our group, as well, that we've had success against them."
While Schmidt is familiar with the Capitals, so too is Golden Knights general manager George McPhee, who was Washington GM for 17 years (1997-2014) and helped it to its only previous appearance in the Final (1998, when it was swept by the Detroit Red Wings).
Dubbing themselves the "Golden Misfits" throughout this playoff run, Schmidt said he sees McPhee like one of their own.
"He's a misfit too, just like us," Schmidt said. "As much as you reveled, at the beginning of the season, in the idea that you were given away or traded away, I think it's morphed into a sense of belonging to this group. I think he's in the same boat. The building will be a little bit different for him. Other than that, it'll be status quo."
