The Golden Knights’ season ended the way a long, uneven ride often does, with regret that will take time to fade. After rallying through a turbulent year and reaching the Cup Final, the final loss is “going to sting,” as defenseman Brayden McNabb put it.
Vegas spent much of the year trying to find its footing. The team hovered around .500 through its first 50 games at 25-13-12, then dropped five straight before closing the stretch before the Olympic break with two wins.
From Early Inconsistency To A Late Surge
The frustration only grew after the break, when the Golden Knights went 5-10-2. A 1-4-2 slide from March 17-29 became the turning point that led to coach Bruce Cassidy being replaced by John Tortorella for the final eight games.
Tortorella steadied the group immediately. Over that closing stretch, Vegas averaged 4.13 goals per game and allowed 1.88, a major improvement from the first 74 games, when it averaged 3.12 goals scored and 3.07 allowed.
A Finish That Restored Hope, Then Left Regret
The Knights then won seven of their final eight games, turning a season that looked as if it could end outside the postseason into a Pacific Division title. Noah Hanifin said the ups and downs taught the group plenty about itself, noting that “each year is unique in its own way.”
McNabb said the team fought through the playoffs and reached the end with pride, but also with the ache of coming up short. “We battled our (butts) off this whole playoff, and we came up short, and it’s going to sting,” he said, adding that the loss will “haunt us.”
For a team that spent the year riding swings in form and emotion, the final disappointment now stands as the hardest part to absorb. The late surge rescued the season, but it could not erase how close Vegas came to finishing the run with a title.