They mentioned it to a man, sort of cryptic hints that there was more to the eye than just a few noticeable injuries. More to all of what transpired during this memorable run to a Stanley Cup Final.
More than we’ll ever know.
The Vegas Golden Knights saw their Cup bubble burst Sunday night when falling to the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0 in Game 6 of the best-of-seven series at T-Mobile Arena.
It was Carolina skating around the ice holding aloft the Cup. Carolina that won it all.
“Lots of guys battled through things,” Knights captain Mark Stone said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Guys never complained. They just put their gear on and went out there and tried to compete.
“It says a lot about our room. Guys are proud to put this jersey on. Guys are proud to play here.”
Fact: There isn’t a team going this time of year without its share of bumps and bruises and injuries and personal issues. The season is long. The journey is arduous. You don’t arrive to a Stanley Cup Final in the most perfect of shapes.
Nobody does.
But it appears such doubled down on the Knights. It appears the room had more than just a few bodies banged up. That some might not have been altogether healthy for extended periods of time. Playing hurt, if at all possible, is part of the deal for most when you reach this point of a season.
Winning the Cup is everything for them. If you’re strong and able enough to lace up the skates, you give it a go.
Not the NFL
“You guys have no idea what some of these guys went through to be out there,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “It’s pretty special.”
We likely won’t ever know the exact extent of what kept so many of them hobbling. NHL teams guard injury reports as if they’re top-level government secrets. This isn’t the NFL.
Lower body injury. Upper body injury. You literally have to see a guy wearing a cast or perhaps a knee brace to understand what ails him in hockey.
But facts should not insinuate any of it as an excuse. Carolina was the better side when the series was on the line. The Hurricanes received superior goaltending and checked their way to a winning formula. Credit them.
“A long year,” Knights defenseman Shea Theodore said. “A lot of guys playing through things in high-pressure situations. It’s incredible what guys played through. This room is not short of heart.
“We battled through a lot of things. It was never easy. Had a lot of comebacks, really grinded to get to this point. It’s definitely going to sting.”
Said defenseman Noah Hanifin, one of those Knights who definitely wasn’t 100 percent throughout the final: “Obviously, it hurts. It’s one of those feelings that will never go away.”
Little things doomed them. Brandon Bussi was, in fact, terrific in goal for the Hurricanes once taking over in the third period of Game 3.
The Knights lost their way on special teams long enough for Carolina to make them pay. Vegas just couldn’t finish enough opportunities with scores the last two games. It happens. It’s hockey.
We’ll never know
So now the Knights look to the future, to a celebratory 10th season in Las Vegas once the puck drops for real again.
And a main question that looms is who will be coaching them.
John Tortorella, who assumed the role with eight games remaining in the regular season, said he wants to coach.
Whether that will be with the Knights is anyone’s guess, but he had much support from players Sunday night.
“I know we were on the wrong end of it, but I just feel it was such a strong run, I’m anxious to see what happens next year because it has another chance,” Tortorella said. “It’s such a good room. They know how to play the game. They know what it takes in certain times.
“I got a front-row seat watching four rounds and I’m amazed at some of the things these players played through.”
Another sort of cryptic hint that there was more to the eye than just a few noticeable injuries. More to all of what transpired during this memorable run to a Stanley Cup Final.
More than we’ll ever know.
Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @edgraney on X.
