Sports on Draft

Thousands of towels being waved in unison like it was Heinz Field, followed by an extreme ‘Game of Thrones-like’ intro, The Golden Knights’ first playoff game at T-Mobile Arena had Vegas written all over it.

The Knights’ unique, medieval pregame show was only fitting for their first year as an NHL franchise, and playoff appearance. Sparked by a sell-out crowd and their Vegas-like antics, the Knights were off and running with a 1-0 lead within the first few minutes of the game.

The playoff atmosphere was immediately apparent after seeing these teams break out in numerous scrums in front of the net, fighting for any inch to separate each other in just a one-possession game. Whether it was Vegas’ lavish presentation or the aurora created by T-Mobile Arena, you could feel the sense of hate from the Los Angeles Kings.

Game 1 looks like not only the beginning of a great series, but also the start of a new rivalry in the NHL.

Even though the Kings’ Jonathan Quick missed a key save early in the game, still both of the goalkeepers starred in this series opener. The Knights’ Marc-Andre Fleury put a whopping 30 – save shutout against the Kings, while Quick locked it down after the first score.

Vegas’ boost for the Knights was something special; their home advantage this playoff series cannot be ignored.

The Knights grabbed the momentum right out of the arena completely, and it immediately took it with them the first wing, making a major contribution to their win. The Kings began to settle in though, after Vegas had cooled down throughout the second period – creating great opportunities to tie, or perhaps win the game.

Will the Knights be aggressive early again in game 2? I have a feeling this could be a hell of a series.

Photo by Michael Miller [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons