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Vegas Golden Knights clinch spot in Stanley Cup Final

By Dave Stevenson

WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 20: Ryan Reaves #75 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates with teammates after scoring a second period goal against the Winnipeg Jets in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell MTS Place on May 20, 2018 in Winnipeg, Canada. (Photo by Jason Halstead/Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 20: Ryan Reaves #75 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates with teammates after scoring a second period goal against the Winnipeg Jets in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell MTS Place on May 20, 2018 in Winnipeg, Canada. (Photo by Jason Halstead/Getty Images) /
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After defeating the Winnipeg Jets 2-1, the Vegas Golden Knights have become the first expansion team in the modern era to advance to the Stanley Cup Final

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The Vegas Golden Knights have done the impossible. 12 months ago, they literally didn’t have a full roster. It was made up of a few college free agent signings and that was it. Many people thought they would finish close to the bottom of the standings.

However, the Golden Knights have proven everybody wrong. After a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets, the group of misfits has become the first expansion team in the modern era (post-1971) to make it to the Stanley Cup Final in their first year. Ryan Reaves, who the Knights got at the trade deadline, wound up scoring the game-winning goal in the second period.

It has been a magical year for Vegas. From day one, it was obvious they were playing for something larger than themselves. The mass shooting in Las Vegas was a heartbreaking tragedy. Somehow, the Golden Knights were able to give their community something to root for during a very hard time.

How Did They Do It?

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First of all, it’s safe to say the Golden Knights have overachieved. And that’s fine. When 23 skaters buy in to a system, they are capable of being more than a sum of their collective parts. This is the case with the Golden Knights.

Of course, William Karlsson emerging as a first-line center (and a great one at that) certainly helped. And don’t be surprised if the Knights ship Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon a Stanley Cup ring because they got Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault, two of their three top-line forwards, for a fourth-round pick.

The Golden Knights were beneficiaries of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ complicated expansion draft decisions. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury accepted a trade to Vegas. He’s been their best player whenever he’s been healthy. The three-time Stanley Cup champion has been especially stellar during the postseason. Should the Knights win the title, it’s hard to think anyone other than Fleury will win the Conn Smythe.

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Their success is possibly the most unexpected in the history of the four major sports leagues. No expansion team has ever won their league’s title in their first year. The Golden Knights hope to become the first. They are the first in the NHL to do so since the St. Louis Blues (1967-68).

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