Home | tcmartinshow

Knights Sweep, on to Stanley Cup Finals

They came in as decided underdogs but don't tell them that. The Vegas Golden Knights completed a stunning sweep of the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, defeating the Presidents' Trophy winners 2-1 in Game 4 of the NHL's Western Conference Finals on Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Right wing and team captain Mark Stone scored the game's first goal at 4:42 of the first period off assists from Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore. McNabb executed a tremendous pass to get Stone behind the defense, and the 14-year veteran took care of the rest.

Neither team scored for nearly 50 minutes of game action, but Vegas left wing Cole Smith ended that stretch by adding the Golden Knights' second goal with 5:45 remaining in the third period.

Colorado wasn't done yet, though, as Gabriel Landeskog got the Avs on the board with 2:03 on an empty-netter off assists from Martin Necas and Nadem Kazri. Necas shot the puck toward the net, and Landeskog deflected it down and passed Vegas goalie Carter Hart.

The Knights hung on for the victory making it the third time in nine seasons of the franchise that they will be in the Finals. Their opponent is not yet determined as they await the winner in the East between Carolina and Montreal.

Hart was spectacular making 20 saves on 21 shots for his sixth straight victory. Hart was alate season addition bringing stability to a Golden Knights team that has struggled in goal with Aiden Hill and others not being able to consistently get the job done.

The biggest addition was bringing in John Tortorella who replaced head coach Bruce Cassidy. The Golden Knights responded by winning seven of eight games, with the only loss being a shutout defeat to the Seattle Kraken.

That late-season run was good enough for Vegas to win the Pacific Division. The Golden Knights defeated the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks in six games in each of the first two playoff series before crushing the Avs, outscoring them 14-7 over four contests.

For Colorado, it turned out to be a disappointing season after leading the league in goals averaging nearly four per game and having the best record in the regular season. It will mark the 13 straight season the President's Trophy winner will not be in the Stanley Cup Finals.