Those words have been projected onto the ice in big, bold letters at T-Mobile Arena before each game during the Stanley Cup playoffs. Well, the Golden Knights are turning impossible into possible.
The stunningly successful expansion squad is headed to the Stanley Cup Final after beating the Jets 2-1 on Sunday to win the Western Conference finals in five games.
“I remember eight months ago, when we won against Dallas (in the season opener), we had that unbelievable feeling,” Vegas center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare said. “Doesn’t feel like we’re satisfied. It’s a good feeling when you know the guys are excited for the next one.”
The Golden Knights are the third franchise in NHL history to clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season, joining the Toronto Arenas in 1918 in the league’s early days, and the Blues in 1968, when all six expansion teams were in the same division and one of them had to make the final round.
Vegas will play the Lightning or Capitals on hockey’s biggest stage.
“Either way, we’re not going to be favorites,” said Jonathan Marchessault, who leads Vegas with 18 postseason points. “That’s been the case all year. Tampa has been the best team all year. Washington, (they’re) playing great hockey right now. Either way, we’re not going to be favorites, and that’s fine with us. We went all year like that and we’re going to keep going.”
Hence, “The Golden Misfits” tag.
Nobody could have scripted the Golden Knights, a 500-1 long shot at the start of the season, making the playoffs — let alone earning a shot at Lord Stanley’s Cup.
But the Golden Knights, who finished fifth in the league during the regular season, just eliminated the No. 2 team in the regular season in the Jets, who in the conference semifinals ousted the No. 1 team in the regular season, the Predators.
The Golden Knights clinched all three of their Western Conference series on the road, becoming the seventh team in NHL history to accomplish such a feat.
“Everybody on this team has something to prove,” said Winnipeg native Ryan Reaves, who scored the winning goal Sunday in his hometown. “We call ourselves ‘The Golden Misfits’ for a reason. We’re doing a good job of proving everybody wrong.”
Just as they have all season, they are living in the moment.
The Golden Knights, who had just two players under contract at this time last year, head into the final round with a 12-3 playoff record after outscoring their Western Conference opponents 42-27. They have allowed the least amount of goals in the playoffs, among teams that have played 10 games.
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