Golden ticket
Vegas ends Winnipeg’s run, now will play for Stanley Cup
WINNIPEG A group of players nobody wanted — the self-proclaimed ‘Golden Misfits’ — are heading to the Stanley Cup final.
Ryan Reaves scored the game-winning goal, Marc-Andre Fleury made 31 saves and the expansion Vegas Golden Knights continued their improbable run by defeating the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 on Sunday to win the best-of-seven Western Conference final 4-1.
A franchise that had just two players under contract at this time last year before filling out the rest of its initial roster with castoffs from the league’s other 30 clubs in the expansion draft is now just four wins from hockey’s ultimate prize.
“Everybody on this team has something to prove,” said Reaves, a tough guy acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins prior to February’s trade deadline. “We call ourselves ‘The Golden Misfits’ for a reason.
“We’re doing a good job of proving everybody wrong.” They certainly are. After the Jets cancelled out Alex Tuch’s opener late in the first period, Reaves tipped home Luca Sbisa’s point shot for his first goal with Vegas to silence the white-clad crowd at Bell MTS Place with 6:39 left in the second.
A Winnipeg native, Reaves didn’t see action in the playoffs until the clincher of the Knights’ 4-2 series victory over the San Jose Sharks in the second round.
His last goal before Sunday came 3 1/2 months ago while still with Pittsburgh, but the 31-year-old’s unlikely contribution is just the latest example of a team with an incredible work ethic finding a way.
“The guys that weren’t playing, myself included, we stayed ready,” said Reaves, who munched on a couple slices of pizza before fielding questions from reporters. “We had fun while we were doing it, but we worked hard so when we were called upon we were ready to go.”
The Knights lost Game 1 of the series in Winnipeg before ripping off four straight victories where they never trailed to become the first team since the St. Louis Blues in 1968 to advance to the Cup final in its inaugural campaign.
Fleury stopped 151 of 161 shots in the series, and allowed just six goals the rest of the way after giving up four in the opener.
Josh Morrissey replied for the Jets, who got 30 saves from Connor Hellebuyck.
“It was their time,” Winnipeg captain Blake Wheeler said of the Knights. “They’re just playing really well.
“You have to give them all the credit.”