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Revisiting the Vegas Golden Knights 2018 Stanley Cup Final appearance
The Vegas Golden Knights have had historic success right out of the gate. After becoming the 31st NHL team in 2017-18, the Knights went on to reach the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season.
Since then, Vegas has appeared in four Western Conference finals and will play in their second Stanley Cup beginning on Saturday night against the Florida Panthers.
Before Game 1, let's revisit the last time the Vegas Golden Knights played in the Stanley Cup Final.
In 2018, the Vegas Golden Knights became the first team to make the playoffs in its first season since 1979-80. After knocking off the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, and Winnipeg Jets in only 15 total games, Vegas became the first team to reach the Final in its first year since 1967-68.
Vegas ran into the hottest goaltender in the league, Braden Holtby in the final. Holtby had backstopped the Washington Capitals to the final and was a huge impact player against Vegas.
Vegas actually took a 1-0 series lead after overcoming two separate one-goal deficits and scoring six goals on Holtby in Game 1.
In Game 2, Holtby found his form. Vegas threw 39 shots at the veteran netminder, but Holtby had an answer for 37 of them, including the last 15, leading Washington to its first win of the series.
In the third period, with the score at 3-2, Holtby made one of the best saves in NHL history on Alex Tuch to preserve the lead and the win.
When the series shifted to Washington for Game 3, the Capitals shut the door on the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas could only muster up 22 total shots, including five in the first period, and Holtby only allowed one goal, resulting in a 3-1 Capitals victory and their first lead of the series.
Game 4 was a similar storyline, with Vegas only scoring twice. Washington was able to jump out to a 4-0 lead over the first two periods, rendering any comeback effort from Vegas unimportant in a 6-2 stomping that put Washington up 3-1 in the series as they headed back to Nevada.
In the series-clinching Game 5, both teams took their best shots.
Vegas Golden Knights feel Stanley Cup heartbreak in the inaugural season
After a scoreless first, Washington jumped out to 1-0 and 2-1 leads before Vegas scored two straight to take their first lead of the game. But in the third period, the Capitals could smell the potential Championship, scoring twice and holding off the Vegas attack for a 4-3 victory and their first Stanley Cup.
Capitals forward Lars Eller scored the game-winner with just over seven minutes to go in regulation.
Six of the original Vegas Golden Knights remain on the current roster: William Karlsson, Reilly Smith, Jonathan Marchessault, Shea Theodore, William Carrier, and Brayden McNabb.
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