12 down. 4 to go. (Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
544 days ago the words Vegas Golden Knights meant absolutely nothing. Now, those same words and the logo they’re represented by are on T-Shirts, caps, sweatshirts, and pennants next to the words “Western Conference Champions.”
No matter what anyone says about the price tag, the rules, or other GM’s messing up, this story is nothing short of preposterous. An expansion team, Western Conference Champions and heading to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season
They started the season 8-1-0 including winning their first three games five, six, and nine days after the worst day in the history of the City of Las Vegas. By Thanksgiving, they were squarely in a playoff position and it appeared they would stay there until the end. On Christmas, the Golden Knights had the best record in the Western Conference, and on January 21st they had the best record in the entire NHL. They waltzed to a playoff berth, then a Pacific Division title. They swept the Kings, dispatched the Sharks, and now have knocked off the Winnipeg Jets in five games to punch their ticket to the NHL’s grandest stage.
It’s just unbelievable and it’s all a credit to all the people that created the franchise and that worked for the franchise before we even got picked up to come to Vegas. When we got to Vegas we all felt welcome and at home. Even if you don’t have the biggest superstars in the league, you still have a bunch of guys that are going to work as hard as they can and they will be tough to beat. -Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
It started with The Creator, his neighbor Murray Craven, and a “stupid idea” (those are Craven’s words) to put an NHL team in Vegas. Now, the only people using the word stupid about the Golden Knights those who wish their team was as good as the one in Las Vegas.
If I would have guessed that I would be sitting here doing this at this time I would have been a little skeptical. -Deryk Engelland
(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)
When the clock hit zero in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final the Golden Knights became champions, again. Their de-facto captain Deryk Engelland broke tradition, skated over and picked up the Campbell Bowl (more on this later), brought it to his teammates and they celebrated. They are now at worst the second best team in the National Hockey League, but for every smile that was cracked or handshake that was dolled out, it was clear, they aren’t okay with second best.
All the work that we’ve done, if we come up short, it would mean nothing. Obviously all those records, it doesn’t mean anything if you are not the last team standing, and I think we have a lot of gas left. -Jonathan Marchessault
It’s been an amazing ride, we just want to keep it going now. -Engelland
We’ve won three series, we’re going to the Stanley Cup Final, but again, this isn’t what we wanted, we want to win. -Gerard Gallant
The Golden Knights will now await the winner of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals series to see who they’ll play and where they’ll go to make their Stanley Cup Final debut. (Game 1 will be in Tampa vs. the Lightning or in Vegas against Capitals)
We’re far from satisfied. We’ve got a big series to get ready for. I’m glad we won today, we’ve got some time to get our players rested. It’s great to be the Western Conference Champions, but that’s not what we’re here for. -Gallant
The story is already ludicrous, but if they reach what they’re really “here for” it’ll become the craziest, most incredible, most unbelievable story in the history of North American sports.
It’s insane. -Deryk Engelland
And it’s not over yet.
Scott Whalen
What time will they be landing? Would like to be there to welcome them HOME with the Campbell confernce trophy!
Brian
Plane is scheduled to land at 8:12pm
GREAT coverage Ken throughout the entire season. Hats off to you and everyone at SinBin, including the Yorkie !!
MARK WILSON @EYAMTHEGURU
So glad I found Sin Bin Vegas
I hear a kindred spirit in the common sense, somewhat irreverent, self deprecating humor and a willingness to not speak in absolutes and consider the other sides opinions. Great Job
Pierre Martin
Thanks Ken and Jason for all of the work throughout the year. What an incredible ride. And it’s still going on!
Jonathan
Thank you to everyone at SinBin but especially Ken. I wish I had discovered the site even earlier, I was kind of alone in my rooting (being in Portland, moving to Vegas in two years) but this site makes me feel part of things. I love Ken in a totally hetero normal way dangit! Lol. I love his takes on everything and maybe it’s a homer / fanboy way to say it but I like how he’s not afraid to just come out and say what he thinks even if it’s not “cautious” or restrained. He came right out in the Podcast and said look, the Knights are the better team (up 2-1) and if they keep doing the same thing and the Jets don’t adjust this is over in 5. He was right and that’s exactly how it went down. Ken would you PLEASE do us all a favor though and shove it in your Kings blogger friend’s face? We all heard he wasn’t really too impressed with the Knights “we’ll see how they do in the next series.” He needs to eat some crow after we took down Jets in 5. NOW is he impressed?!
Ken Boehlke
Thanks for this comment. You and the many fans like you are exactly why I do what I do and why I’ve been able to do what I do. Thank you to every single person who reads the site and gives me a platform to cover the team. This has been a wild ride but it ain’t over yet.
Warren
What can I say hockey fans, I told you to keep the faith and look what happens.
You (Golden Knight) fans are 4 games away from the promise land. That’s the holy grail which is the STANLEY CUP. Congrats to everyone involved. This is so unreal it’s too bad the season will end soon. If you should not win the Cup you still did a great job. That’s why I like expansion teams they always show the fans something different that is unexpected. So fans our magic number is 4 lets do it. Shoot that puck and score that goal and bring home the STANLEY CUP.
Warren Shapiro
Hey hockey fans I told you at the beginning of the season not to give up and keep the faith and look what happens. The team went really far to the FINALS . Did we expect this no but you the fan kept rooting the team on and look what happens. So we are exactly 4 wins away from the HOLY GRAIL the STANLEY CUP. What can I say this expansion team proves anything can happen with a new team. Like I always this time of year , Shoot that puck Score that goal and bring home the STANLEY CUP
Vic
Hats off to Sin Bin. I began checking Sin Bin daily way back when to get info to find out the latest, and I quickly made my deposit for season tickets. Sin Bin was and is the best place for Knights news. Most other sites didn’t know the difference between a hockey stick and a carrot stick. The amount of time, effort and research the boys put in is at an insane mad-scientist level. My home has turned insane as my wife of 40 years who never watched hockey until this year was in tears when the clock struck 0:00. Thanks to Sin Bin for keeping the fire burning. 2018 in Vegas…….The Time of Our Lives.
Scott
Thank you Ken and Jason!!
I echo the comments posted. Great to have a place for fellow passionate fans to come together. Thanks for all of your work this year, and those to come.
Go Knights Go!!!!