Let's be honest for a second. Nobody expected the Vegas Golden Knights to make it this far. After relieving (I have to be careful when saying this) Bruce Cassidy of his duties in March, the Golden Knights weren't supposed to do much in the Stanley Cup playoffs. They were a team with bad goaltending and a top-heavy lineup.
But a funny thing happened afterwards. The team started winning. A lot. We're talking about going 7-0-1 to finish the regular season and winning the Pacific Division. That's impressive for a team that nobody expected to do anything of substance. However, the winning didn't stop there.
It translated over to the first round against a young, spry Utah Mammoth team. Then, it made its way to a hard-hitting Anaheim Ducks team. Then, it took out the Presidents' Trophy winners, the Colorado Avalanche. The next thing you know, the Vegas Golden Knights are Western Conference champions.
Now? They're two wins away from their second Stanley Cup and are in a topsy-turvy series with the Carolina Hurricanes. Again, nobody expected this from the Golden Knights after disposing of Bruce Cassidy. Instead, they've taken the bull by the horns and gone along for the ride.
But that's the funny thing about this scenario. It's literally playing with house money. The Golden Knights theoretically have nothing to lose here. Nobody was expecting them to make it this far, yet here we are. It feels somewhat like the inaugural season, when nobody expected a group of Misfits to make the Stanley Cup Final.
So, here's some helpful advice for the Golden Knights (and for you, too). Live life like you're playing with house money. Take the big risk and do whatever it takes to succeed. You'll never know when you'll come across a grand prize like the Stanley Cup.
