RALEIGH, N.C. — The only people who thought two months ago that the Vegas Golden Knights would be in the Stanley Cup Final were the Vegas Golden Knights.
You’d lose count at the number of times they’ve been counted out since March 29, even when they went 7-0-1 in the final eight games and won the Pacific Division.
Down 2-1 in the first round to Utah? Done.
Tied 2-2 in the second round against Anaheim? Finished.
Over before they played a game against Colorado? Sure, why not?
And yet, here they are. It’s the first week of June. They’re still standing. It’s Rocky Balboa in the 15th round against Apollo Creed, and they’re still going.
All that’s left is the final punch, and that comes against the Carolina Hurricanes for all the marbles when the series starts at Lenovo Center on Tuesday.
“That’s the beauty of our game, the beauty of the sport and the beauty of sports in general,” center Jack Eichel said. “Every opportunity you go out there to compete is an opportunity to prove yourself. What an opportunity for our whole group.
“The goal for every team at the beginning of the season is to win and be the last team standing. It was our goal in training camp, and here we are.”
There can be talks about how unfair the playoff format is, not being a top-eight-seed format. How it diminished the quality of the both conference finals.
Sure, there can be an argument. The bottom line is the Knights are in the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in their nine-year history. They’re four wins away from a second championship in four years. They won the games in front of them and put themselves in position to do so.
The same goes for the Hurricanes, who swept their first two rounds against the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers, then made quick work of the Montreal Canadiens in five games to make the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 20 years.
“You work to be in these situations. You work to be in these moments,” Knights forward Mitch Marner said. “Just extremely grateful and excited to get going.”
About the Hurricanes
No one has been more bridesmaid than bride than the “Bunch of Jerks” from North Carolina.
Though the Hurricanes don’t use that moniker anymore, the blue-collar work ethic since Rod Brind’Amour became head coach in 2019 has never left.
Carolina has been on the cusp for the entirety of Brind’Amour’s tenure, looking to get back to the prominence he led the Hurricanes to 20 years ago when he captained their Stanley Cup team in 2006.
With the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers wounded and unable to go for the three-peat, Carolina swooped in with the best record in the Eastern Conference and their third Prince of Wales Trophy in franchise history.
“I know when I played, you have your certain thoughts about coaching. I have way more respect being a coach than I did as a player,” Brind’Amour said. “Not that I didn’t respect the coaches but I thought just get your best players out and go play. I got behind (the bench) and realized, uh oh, this is a lot of work.
“There’s a huge difference there, the time commitment is doubled. I thought it’d be the opposite. It’s a big chance, but I certainly learned a lot from the coaches I’ve had in the past.”
The Hurricanes, much like the Knights, have the ability to roll four lines and three defensive pairs in any situation. Their top six doesn’t pop with star power, but there’s enough there to be formidable.
At the top is former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall, who leads the Hurricanes with 16 points. The former No. 1 overall pick from the 2010 draft is playing in his first Stanley Cup Final.
On par with him is 23-year-old center Logan Stankoven, who has become a rising star in the playoffs with nine goals and 12 points. Stankoven was part of the trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars last season.
Carolina’s formula is simple. Relentless forechecking, blocked shots and good goaltending will yield good results.
The Hurricanes have gotten that with goaltender Frederik Andersen, who leads the playoffs with a .931 save percentage. Andersen has seen a light workload with only 289 shots coming his way.
Compare that to Knights goaltender Carter Hart and his .924 save percentage on nearly 200 more shots (476).
The goaltender who makes the most saves could decide this series. It could also come down to which goalie sees more shots, and if they can keep them out of the net.
Season series breakdown
Oct. 20 – Knights win 4-1 at T-Mobile Arena
Oct. 28 – Knights win 6-3 at Lenovo Center
Forget everything you thought about the Knights sweeping the season series. It was that long ago.
The Knights handed Carolina its first loss of the season in Las Vegas. It was impressive at the time. That was the first game Stone missed after breaking his finger against the Calgary Flames the previous game. Andersen allowed three goals on 25 shots.
Eight days later, Eichel scored twice and added an assist on his 29th birthday as part of a four-goal third period. The Knights trailed 3-2 after Stankoven scored 2:31 into the third before Eichel, Brett Howden and Tomas Hertl completed the rally.
Fun fact: The Knights have only swept Carolina one other time in franchise history – in 2023, when they won the Stanley Cup.
Good news if you’re a fan of superstition.
“At that time when we played them, we had some guys out, they had some guys out,” defenseman Shea Theodore said. “It’s definitely going to be different intensity, it being the finals, but it’s going to be fun.”
X Factors
Hurricanes: K’Andre Miller, D: There’s something about a defenseman being a plus-14 in the playoffs that doesn’t seem right. That’s how good Miller has been.
Miller, 26, was one of the Hurricanes’ big offseason acquisitions. It cost a first- and second-round pick and defenseman Scott Morrow to get the mobile blue liner from the New York Rangers. Miller has been worth every penny with eight assists in the postseason.
Most attention on Carolina’s blue line will go to Jaccob Slavin because he’s one of the best all-around defensemen in the league. Miller has been good himself, and he needs to be a target of focus.
Golden Knights: Mark Stone, RW: It’s crazy to put the captain and the franchise’s all-time leader in playoff scoring in this category, but a healthy Stone will swing the tide this series.
The Knights proved they can win without Stone. That 4-1 mark following his injury in Game 3 against the Ducks is proof. The fact they won the first two games in Colorado — sans Cale Makar for the Avalanche — was pivotal.
They’re better with him in the lineup. He got on the scoresheet in Games 3 and 4 while playing a shade over 15 minutes in both. It’s also a good sign that he can be productive while playing a a middle-six role. If that production continues to unlock Hertl’s offensive game down the stretch, the Knights may have an advantage down their lineup.
“The other combos were just working really well when I was out of the lineup. You’re not going to change the other two lines,” Stone said. “Whether it was Jack’s line with (Pavel Dorofeyev) and (Ivan Barbashev), they were clicking at a high clip, and the Marner line with Howden and (William) Karlsson were playing unbelievable, too.
“It was just me finding a spot to play in the lineup, and that looked like a good one.”
Key to the series
Bottom six plays its part: If the Hurricanes have their way, their bottom six will be matched up with the Knights’ top players all series.
Carolina’s third line is its shutdown line. The trio of Jordan Staal, Jordan Martinook and Nikolaj Ehlers may get the bulk of the defensive minutes against Eichel’s line.
The Knights’ wingers need to make an impact in other ways, much like they did in Game 2 against Colorado. That will lead the fourth line of Mark Jankowski, Eric Robinson and Carrier, likely, against Karlsson, Howden and Marner.
The Knights’ third line of Stone, Hertl and Colton Sissons could be a gamechanger. Offensively, it’s going to lack the fleetness of foot. What it lacks in skating, it makes up for in high-IQ situations and tough to play defensively.
The fourth line with Nic Dowd, Cole Smith and Keegan Kolesar has been a pain for the opposition. That trio has been responsible for timely goals. If it turns into a series where board battles and puck possession become paramount, Carolina better be ready to take a punch if it throws one.
Prediction
The Western Conference Final taught us two things: The Knights are better than we thought, and they shouldn’t be picked against for the remainder of time until proven otherwise.
For all the talk about how the Knights haven’t been tested in the playoffs — which is a lie — Carolina has breezed through, but it can be argued it still had an easy path to get this point. They haven’t played an opponent like the Knights.
It’s going to be a physical, drag-it-out series that leans toward the underdog. And a word of advice: Maybe don’t call the Knights underdogs, because it may cost you some money at the end of it.
Get ready for another party down the Strip. Knights in 6
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
Up next
Who: Golden Knights at Hurricanes
What: Game 1, Stanley Cup Final
When: 5 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Lenovo Center, Raleigh, North Carolina
TV: ABC
Radio: KFLG 94.7 FM/KKGK 1340 AM
Line: Hurricanes -150; total 5½
—
Stanley Cup Final schedule
Game 1: Tuesday, 5 p.m. at Lenovo Center (ABC)
Game 2: Thursday, 5 p.m. at Lenovo Center (ABC)
Game 3: June 6, 5 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena (ABC)
Game 4: June 9, 5 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena (ABC)
*Game 5: June 11, 5 p.m. at Lenovo Center (ABC)
*Game 6: June 14, 5 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena (ABC)
*Game 7: June 17, 5 p.m. at Lenovo Center (ABC)
*if necessary
