Something to prove
Golden Knights book improbable Stanley Cup ticket
A group of players nobody wanted – the self-proclaimed ‘Golden Misfits’ – are heading to the Stanley Cup final.
Ryan Reaves scored the gamewinning 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 whiteclad 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-yearold’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 Vegas Golden Knights players congratulate goaltender Marc-andre Fleury (29) after nipeg Jets during NHL Western Conference Finals, game 5, in Winnipeg, Sunday. off four straight victories where Winnipeg will head into the third straight series on the road. they never trailed to become the summer bitterly disappointed “So proud,” Vegas centre Jonafirst team since the St. Louis Blues after falling short of its goal, but than Marchessault said. “We kept in 1968 to advance to the Cup the franchise just hitting its stride going, we battled.” final in its inaugural campaign. gave fans a taste of real playThe Jets beat the Knights 4-2
Fleury stopped 151 of 161 shots off success after so many tough in Game 1, but Vegas snatched in the series, and allowed just six years. home ice with a 3-1 victory in goals the rest of the way after giv“It’s very difficult to find that Game 2 before picking up 4-2 ing up four in the opener. positive feeling at this moment,” and 3-2 wins at T-mobile Arena
“Everybody’s stepping up at head coach Paul Maurice said. to take a commanding 3-1 series different times,” said Fleury, the The old Jets were swept in lead. face of the franchise since Day their only two trips to the second The Knights, whose jaw-drop1. “That’s a big reason why we’ve round of the playoffs before leavping inaugural 109-point cambeen playing consistently.” ing town in 1996, while this inpaign included a Pacific Division
Vegas will meet either the carnation lost in four straight in crown, swept the Los Angeles Tampa Bay Lightning or the its only appearance in 2015 after Kings in the first round before the Washington Capitals in the Cup moving from Atlanta in 2011. San Jose Sharks succumbed in six final. Tampa Bay leads the East“It was their time,” Winnipeg games. ern Conference final 3-2, with captain Blake Wheeler said of The Jets, meanwhile, had the Game 6 set for Monday in Washthe Knights. “They’re just playing NHL’S second-best record with ington. really well. 114 points in the regular season.
“It’s insane,” said Knights de“You have to give them all the They advanced to the conferfenceman Deryk Engelland, who credit.” ence final with a five-game degrabbed the Clarence S. Campbell Down 2-1 after 40 minutes Sunfeat of the Minnesota Wild in the Bowl after the final buzzer to celeday, Winnipeg got a power play opening round before topping brate with his teammates. “Your early in the third, but couldn’t the Presidents’ Trophy winning goal (at the start of the season) is muster much of anything. The Nashville Predators in Game 7 on always to make the playoffs. But Knights smothered much of the the road. if I were to guess I would be sitJets’ attack for the next 10 min“It was a hard series,” Marchesting here doing this right now, utes, with Hellebuyck having to sault added. “L.A., San Jose, great you would be a little skeptical at come up with some big stops to teams, but Winnipeg ... from the the time. keep his team within one. forwards down to their goal
“It’s been an amazing ride. We Winnipeg pressed with under tender, it’s just an amazing team. just want to keep it going now.” four minutes to go, with Fleury On paper one of the best teams
Josh Morrissey replied for the stopping Wheeler on the doorout there.
Jets, who got 30 saves from Constep, but it wasn’t nearly enough “A lot of credit to them, but we nor Hellebuyck. as the Knights closed out their just worked hard.”