500:1 Vegas Is in the Stanley Cup Finals

Published on 20-May-2018 by J Square Humboldt

NHL    NHL Daily Update

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500:1 Vegas Is in the Stanley Cup Finals

After watching the Golden Knights chalk up first after first after first for an expansion team, It's not like the hockey world hasn't seen this coming.

But now that Vegas will actually be playing for Lord Stanley's chalice, the absolute mind-blowingness of what that team's accomplished is enough to warp reality as we know it.

 

The Winnipeg Jets were a warm-&-fuzzy story themselves, coming outta the fog of banality to compile the league's second-best regular season record and then win the first playoff game in their current version's history.

The fact they took down the Presidents Trophy holders in Nashville speaks volumes to their accomplishment.

 

But after claiming the first game in the Western Conference finals, Winnipeg could only look on as the Golden Knights unleashed their brand of relentless intensity, and the next four games were theirs.

The capper was a 2-1 triumph in Game 5:

 

The Knights' expansion roster for the ages took pride all season long in rallying around whichever of their players was facing the team that let him go and rising to meet his adrenaline level.

In this one, it was a hometown dude instead, the son of a Winnipeg legend, even.

Fourth-line right winger -- with an enforcer's résumé -- Ryan Reaves only logged 7:30 of ice time, but his tip redirected the decider.

 

That's been the season. Different game. Different hero.

With one constant.

In a city that thrives on Lady Luck, having a three-time Cup winner between the pipes has got to be the biggest break in expansion history.

Without him, there'd be no improbable Cup run. And there'd be no Bark-André Furry.

 

There'd also be no Vegas sportsbooks sweating a 500:1 payout if the Knights do hoist the hardware.

The chalk's been hit hard all season, as the locals are 60-34 against the spread already.

Talk about the ultimate underdogs making good, no matter what else happens. Dude's have made little Bark proud. Not to mention a host of new fans.

Click on a photo to enlarge.