The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Dallas Stars 6-0 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, where they will face the Florida Panthers.
Vegas will be making its second appearance in the Stanley Cup Final in just the sixth season of the franchise’s existence. The team previously made a remarkable run to the Stanley Cup in 2018 – its inaugural season – but lost to the Washington Capitals.
Dallas Stars’ Jake Oettinger (29) defends as Vegas Golden Knights’ Keegan Kolesar (55) makes a pass during Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Western Conference finals. – Tony Gutierrez/AP
Florida has been part of the NHL for nearly 30 years, but is making just its second trip to the Stanley Cup Final after winning the Eastern Conference Final over the Hurricanes. The Panthers’ lone previous shot at the championship came in the 1995-96 season, when the team came up short against the Colorado Avalanche.
The no. 8 seeded Panthers beat the Hurricanes 4-3 last week to become the first team in NHL history to enter the postseason as the lowest-seeded club and sweep a best-of-seven series to book a spot in the final.
Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup has been unlikely, given its status as a lowest-seeded team and the historic nature of its opposition. The Panthers bested the Boston Bruins in the first round, despite Boston breaking the NHL regular season record for most wins (65) and most points (135) in a single season.
The best-of-seven series between the Knights and Panthers will begin Saturday in Las Vegas.
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