The Knights secured their chance at another championship after sweeping the Colorado Avalanche in four games in the NHL's Western Conference Finals on May 26. It's a dramatic turnaround for the team, which was plagued with injuries early in the season.
"They played great team defense, blocked a ton of shots, scored timely goals, made timely comebacks in games two and three, and dominated in game four," said Danny Webster, Golden Knights Reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "It was one of their best end-to-end performances in the entire postseason."
While fans have seen commanding playoff performances from team Captain Mark Stone and Goalie Carter Hart, Head Coach John Tortorella's late-season addition to the team has also helped guide the Golden Knights in the right direction. Webster says players have really responded to Tortorella's influence.
"They haven't really changed any systems," he said. "They haven't changed the way that they play. For Tortorella, it's all been about a mindset, that's been the buzzword that he's used since he's come in, is putting this team in the right mindset to succeed."
The Knights will take on the winner of the Eastern Conference between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Montreal Canadiens. Webster told KNPR's State of Nevada that either team would put up a tough fight against the Knights.
"[The Hurricanes] are a team that likes to shoot the puck a lot, and they also play a very stingy defense," he said.
CORRECTION: This story was updated to reflect that, as of its posting on May 28, the winner of the NHL Eastern Conference is still pending. KNPR regrets the error.
Guest: Danny Webster, Golden Knights reporter, Las Vegas Review-Journal
