LAS VEGAS (AP) — While many might draw parallels between the Golden Knights’ surprising journey to the Stanley Cup Final and their remarkable 2018 debut season that stunned the hockey world, a better comparison lies with their championship squad from three years ago.
Vegas has earned its way back to the Final for the third time in nine seasons, potentially establishing itself as the most successful expansion team in North American professional sports. The Golden Knights secured their spot by defeating Colorado 2-1 Tuesday evening, completing a shocking four-game sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche.
The current squad mirrors the 2023 championship team’s formula: contributions from every line, physical defensive play, and stellar goaltending.
“I think we’ve always built our teams with good depth at the forward position, defensive position and goaltending position,” captain Mark Stone said. “I guess the similarities are that’s just the way we build our teams.”
During the 2023 playoff run, 18 different players found the net and 12 recorded double-digit points across 22 games. This postseason through 16 contests, 15 players have scored goals while six have reached the 10-point mark.
The team’s depth was on full display in the series-clinching victory against Colorado, with both goals coming from the bottom six forwards. Cole Smith netted the game-winner with 5:45 remaining on the clock.
“The third and fourth lines, the five- and six-D, that’s how you continue to move in the playoffs,” coach John Tortorella said. “Those are very important pieces as you go through these series. I’m happy for Smitty. I was going to kill him; he’s taking so many penalties.
“But I’m happy for him and (Dylan Coghlan and Kaedan Korczak). I mean, how well did they play. Playing against that team with the amount of speed that they bring, they weren’t intimidated by a thing.”
Coghlan and Korczak comprise Vegas’s third defensive pairing, which successfully contained an Avalanche attack that led the league with 3.63 goals per game in the regular season and increased that average to 4.11 through the first two playoff rounds. Against the Golden Knights, Colorado managed just 1.75 goals per game.
The Avalanche went without registering a shot for the final 14:23 of the second period in Game 4 and managed only one shot over a span exceeding 25 minutes.
Throughout the series, the Golden Knights consistently threw their bodies in front of Colorado shots. Four of the postseason’s top nine shot-blocking leaders wear Vegas uniforms, led by Shea Theodore’s 46 blocks. In 2023, four of the top five shot blockers were Golden Knights players, with Alec Martinez leading at 57.
The goaltending situation has also been crucial.
Adin Hill was instrumental in 2023, stepping in during the second round and posting an 11-4 record with a .932 save percentage and 2.17 goals-against average. While Hill remains with the organization, Carter Hart has seized the starting role. Hart has compiled a 12-4 record with a .924 save percentage and 2.22 GAA this postseason.
“Hartsy’s been amazing this whole series, whole playoffs really,” Mitch Marner said. “Made some massive saves throughout all these games and again tonight. Made some massive ones for us to keep the game where it was. Hell of a game by Hartsy again.”
The Golden Knights await the winner of the Eastern Conference Final between Carolina and Montreal to determine their Stanley Cup Final opponent.
