This was nowhere near how anyone envisioned the Western Conference Final would go, but the Vegas Golden Knights will take the pleasant surprise.
On Tuesday, the Golden Knights get their first chance to cement their place in the Stanley Cup Final when they face the Colorado Avalanche in Game Four.
Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, NV
Date: Tuesday, May 26
Time: 6:00 pm PST
How To Watch: ESPN, ESPN+
Radio: 1340 AM, 94.7 FM
Game Three was nothing short of a whirlwind for the Golden Knights, having to overcome a three-goal deficit after the first period to push the Avalanche into a 3-0 hole in the series. It bodes well for Vegas, as no team has completed a reverse sweep in the postseason since 2014, and only once (1942 Toronto Maple Leafs) has it happened beyond the second round of the playoffs. With the Avalanche confirmed to be making a change in net with Mackenzie Blackwood subbing in for Scott Wedgewood, it is clear the President’s Trophy winner is feeling the desperation of the moment, so the Golden Knights are preparing for a push.
“There’s so much emotion, so much intensity while playing for the ultimate goal,” said Mark Stone. “That’s what makes it even more special.”
Here is what the Golden Knights must do to complete the sweep and advance to their third Stanley Cup Final in nine years.
Ice in their veins
Elimination scenarios have often coincided with the best play from the Golden Knights in the postseason.
Despite how close the series against the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks were at points, Vegas left no doubt who the better team was with dominant performances with the chance to advance. Now, the opportunity to move one step closer to the Stanley Cup has emerged once again, this time in front of the Golden Knights’ own fans. With their ability to weather the storm not in doubt, this is the perfect opportunity for the Golden Knights to continue the onslaught of the last two periods and make an emphatic statement before competing for hockey’s Holy Grail.
“You got to focus on the next game no matter what the situation you’re in, whether you’re up one or up two, down one, down two,” said Stone. “You just have to focus on the next game and that’s been our mentality moving forward in these playoffs.”
Been here before
Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella is no stranger to this type of situation.
In 2019, Tortorella was behind the bench when the Columbus Blue Jackets shocked the hockey world when he swept the President’s Trophy winning Tampa Bay Lightning. Tonight, he has the first opportunity to become the first head coach in NHL history to accomplish the feat twice. While Tortorella said that it was two different locker rooms and avoided going into specifics, it is nonetheless interesting to go through the parallels between the two situations.
“We don’t look at it as closing out. We look at it as our next game,” said Tortorella. “We’re trying to get better each and every game.”
Leaning on experience
While the experience of the Golden Knights has been apparent throughout their postseason run, nowhere was it more prevalent than in Game Three.
Despite being down three goals early, the Golden Knights made the necessary adjustments and refused to panic with 40 minutes left to play. The changes paid off in a massive way, as the Golden Knights bounced back and now stand on the precipice of another Stanley Cup Final. Now, that experience will have to come back into play in order to complete the upset and prepare for the final challenge that lies ahead.
“It comes with the veteran group we have,” said forward Nic Dowd after the optional morning skate.
“We got guys that have been here that have won Stanley Cups, that have played a lot of hockey deep into the summer. That comes with experience. We have to continue focus on what’s in front of us, and I think we have to understand who our opponent is. This is a really good team. We respect them a lot, and it’s our responsibility to come more prepared than we were last game.”