Carolina/Las Vegas NHL Final Begins Tonight

Tonight the NHL final, to be contested between the East top seed and second in “reg” points, Carolina Hurricanes and the Las Vegas Golden Knights, the “reg” and ‘offs Pacific Division title/bracket winner (tied for 12th in overall points).

Each team is (1-1) in previous final round play, having lost in their first and won the next.

L.V. incredibly made the Cup final in its first season (’18), but lost games (2-5) to the Washington Capitals. In its second final round appearance, the Golden Knights won games 1,2,4 and 5, all but the fourth at home to “5” the Florida Panthers, who went on to win the next 2 NHL titles, before not even qualifying for the ‘offs this season.

Neither team has lost a Cup final opening game as Carolina also lost game (2-5) and were 5’d in their first such appearance, that vs the Detroit Red Wings, whose coach Scotty Bowman passed his mentor, the great Hector “Toe” Blake with his record breaking 9th NHL title (Blake had 8).

Four years later “Caro” won games 1,2, and 4, the first two at home before needing a game 7 win to claim their first title in the franchise’s 26th completed season and 9th as Carolina. They were the Hartford Whalers.

Justin Williams, a key member of the ’06 title winning Hurricanes, who subsequently played on 2 more title teams with the L.A. Kings, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in ’14, is pictured as a Hurricanes’ player above.