5 reasons why the Golden Knights advanced to the Stanley Cup Final

Never bring a pillow to a knife fight. Unless you’re the Vegas Golden Knights.

The champions of the Pacific Pillow Fight are going back to the Stanley Cup Final after the shocking four-game sweep of the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final.

Connor McDavid’s words about the division have never rang louder than on a day where the Pacific will represent the Western Conference for the fourth consecutive year.

“Our ultimate goal is to win the other one. We want to win the Stanley Cup,” captain Mark Stone said. “We still have four more wins that we want to accomplish. Definitely happy with where we’re at. We’ve put ourselves in the spot to compete for it.”

A 95-point season – one where the Knights won seven of eight to close the regular season – results in their third trip to the Cup Final in nine years and second in the past four.

The Knights are the fifth team in league history, and first since the 2002 Carolina Hurricanes, to reach the final after winning fewer than 40 games in the regular season.

Yes, the Avalanche were banged up, not having Cale Makar the first two games and Nathan MacKinnon hobbled in the final two. They didn’t have forward Valeri Nichushkin in Game 4.

But even when close to healthy, the Knights were in control and dominated in all areas.

The odds were stacked against Vegas. Alas, this nine-year history has taught us to, maybe, stop doing that.

Instead, we’re discussing five reasons why the Knights are going to play for the Stanley Cup yet again.

All Hart

The Knights needed goaltending desperately all season. Carter Hart has provided it at the right time.

Hart, 27, has been one of the Knights’ postseason heroes with a league-leading .924 save percentage, including a .944 mark against Colorado.

Colorado’s Scott Wedgewood was up to the task at first until he wasn’t. Mackenzie Blackwood did all he could in Game 4. He gave up two, while Hart didn’t give one up until 2:03 left.

“It’s obviously super exciting right now, and we’ll celebrate with the fellas,” Hart said. “But we’ve got a lot of work to do still. We just got to prepare for the next game, whenever it is.”

Hart is second in the playoffs with 12.74 goals saved above expected, according to Evolving Hockey. He was credited with 4.19 against Colorado and allowed seven goals to the highest-scoring offense in the NHL.

The Knights have gotten elite goaltending in all three of their Cup Final runs, whether it be Marc-Andre Fleury and the incredible run in 2018, or Adin Hill coming off the bench cold and becoming a cult hero in 2023. Hart has put himself in that echelon.

Hart didn’t need to bounce back after a loss this series, but when he and the Knights faced adversity, he put his team in position to advance.

“Super excited to share this moment with this group of guys,” Hart said. “We have such a tight group here. Just so happy. We’ve put in a lot of work and a lot of effort.”

Shot blocking

The Knights’ motto during the 2023 run was, “It hurts to win.” It was a way of life en route to hoisting the Stanley Cup.

Injuries played a factor, but this time they were willing to dive in front of any puck that came off a Colorado player’s stick.

They did that 75 times this series. The Knights averaged nearly 19 blocks per game. Colorado had more shot attempts, shots on goal and scoring chances through four games.

It’s not just the fact the Knights blocked so many shots. It’s who led the pack. Defenseman Brayden McNabb would normally be at the top of the list.

Six different players had at least five in the series, but it was Shea Theodore who had 11 through four games.

The evolution of Theodore as an offensive-minded defenseman to a complete 200-foot player has grown. He’s become the workhorse on the blue line, averaging a team-high 25:29 playing in all situations.

Theodore has become the No. 1 defenseman the Knights hoped he’d become when they lost Alex Pietrangelo (hip) before the season began.

“I think it’s just the commitment everyone has to win,” Theodore said. “It’s that time of year where any chance can swing a game, and I think the willingness of every guy to get in lanes and make big blocks whether it’s in the first or late in the third, guys are willing to do it. I think that’s important for a championship team.”

Rolling Stone

You won’t find another player who hates missing games more than Stone.

For all the long-term injured reserve jokes, the Knights’ captain doesn’t want to miss playoff games. If he can’t play, there’s a reason why. This postseason should end those discussions.

The Knights went 4-1 without Stone he suffered a lower-body injury in Game 3 of the second round. They lost Game 4 in Anaheim, but reeled off four straight wins, including the first two of this series.

Stone returned for Game 3, the same night Makar made his series debut for Colorado. Both teams got a respective boost.

“The last couple of weeks, just rehabbing, trying to push back,” Stone said after Game 3. “Makes it a lot easier when the team’s playing the way they played.”

Stone’s power play goal 19 seconds into the second period Sunday was the start to the thrilling three-goal comeback that led to them winning 5-3 in Game 3. Stone followed with a breakaway goal to open the scoring in Game 4 less than five minutes into the game.

Stone averaged just under 16 minutes in the two games while with Tomas Hertl and Colton Sissons. That line, both thanks to Stone, generated two of the biggest goals of the series, including Hertl’s game-winner in Game 3.

The Knights are a better team with their captain in the fold. Could they have still swept Colorado without him? Maybe, with the way they were playing. But forward Mitch Marner put it best after Game 3.

“It’s big to have 61 back,” he said.

Eichel > MacKinnon

Jack Eichel didn’t have a point in the final two games after having three in the first two.

That worked out fine, because he spent the series trying to slow down MacKinnon. Eichel performed admirably in that department, holding MacKinnon to two assists and no goals through all four games.

Colorado had a 30-18 advantage in shot attempts with MacKinnon on the ice against Eichel, but only a slight 13-10 edge in shots on goal, according to Natural Stat Trick.

But Eichel had three points, including the game-tying goal in Game 2, while MacKinnon was neutralized.

“I think he’s the best 200-foot player in the league,” coach John Tortorella said.

Eichel has been tasked with slowing down the opposition’s top star in his two longest playoff runs. He did it to McDavid in 2023, and a more complete, evolved Eichel did it in 2026.

Even if MacKinnon wasn’t the same after blocking Theodore’s shot with his knee in Game 3, Eichel never lost control.

“For me, just trying to be a complete player, help our D when we don’t have the puck and do the little things right,” Eichel said. “It’s always been a focus of my game and it’s something you need to hone in on this time of year. We know how hard it is to win this time of year and that falls on playing hard defensively.”

The power of Torts

Tortorella doesn’t want any of the credit.

Since his first days with the team, he’s called himself a guidance counselor. His main task is the guide the Knights in the right direction. He’s done that to the tune of a 19-4-1 run since replacing Bruce Cassidy on March 29.

The coach, 67, had to envision this when he was hired out of ESPN. He knew this had to be the outcome because he never stopped believing in how good this team was.

“I just marvel at the athletes,” Tortorella said. “I marvel at what they go through as playing each and every day, how hard they play. To be up close and personal on a bench behind them and watching what they do, that’s why we’re in it.”

It’s a tenure that would have been defined by a $100,000 fine and being part of a reason why the Knights lost a second-round draft pick. Instead, it’ll be remembered for being four wins away from his second championship.

Tortorella is back in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 22 years. This was only his third ever trip to the conference final. He’s pushed the right buttons and guided this team in nothing but the right direction.

He’ll gladly bestow the credit on his assistant coaches — Dom Ducharme, Joel Ward and John Stevens — for helping him along the way, helping him understand the players better and how to get the best out of them.

That was always Tortorella’s calling card. In this day and age, it’s worked. The Knights have bought in. Tortorella’s last job is to guide the Knights past the finish line.

“You’re always thinking about it,” he said. “That’s all we talk about, the players and coaches. That’s why we stay in the business is to get that opportunity to compete. I think the coolest part of it is just the attrition of it all. We’ve gone through three of them. We’ve got one more.”