Are you ready for busted brackets and March Madness? Vegas Golden Knights fans will see more bracket challenges once the Stanley Cup playoffs roll around. However, it's college basketball's time to shine in the bracket realm with cut nets and Luther Vandross singing in the background.
Will there ever be a perfect bracket that illuminates us with the year's picks? Will we ever see the Buffalo Sabres make the Stanley Cup playoffs ever again? These are two things that seem like they'll never happen in our lifetimes. Still, it's what makes sports a fun ordeal. You want to see it eventually happen.
But the Golden Knights have had plenty of "maddening" moments in their franchise history. Who would've thought that Marc-Andre Fleury would win a Vezina Trophy with the new kids on the block? Who would've thought that same team would win the Stanley Cup six years into their history? Nobody.
In the spirit of busted brackets, upsets, and Cinderella stories, here's a look at three of the "maddest" moments in Vegas history. No, it doesn't involve players getting angry at other players. Otherwise, this would be entirely based around Ryan Reaves.
1.) Marc-Andre Fleury's save against the Toronto Maple Leafs
This list did call for one Marc-Andre Fleury on the list. He needed to do something for his Vezina Trophy-winning time with the Vegas Golden Knights, after all. So why not give the fans what they want and show off his most memorable save with the club?
Picture it. Nic Petan of the Toronto Maple Leafs goes in for a goal. It's an open net and a "golden" opportunity to tie the game. He shoots! Fleury sprawls out and makes a breathtaking stop to keep it at a 3-2 score. Somewhere, Steve Dangle is still punching air after witnessing that save.
2.) Brett Howden's back-handed goal against the Utah Hockey Club
The Golden Knights haven't had much success in overtime during the 2024-25 season. They've struggled to put together a successful five-minute campaign for a goal. However, Brett Howden showed his teammates how it was done earlier this season.
WHAT A GOAL FROM BRETT HOWDEN FOR THE OVERTIME WINNER 😱🔥 pic.twitter.com/8nnrkHEZt4
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) November 3, 2024
Everything about this was reminiscent of March Madness. Howden's back-handed shot was like a putback dunk in basketball: Beautiful. Such a goal is also the difference maker between a division title and a series with the Edmonton Oilers or Los Angeles Kings. It could make or break the team's season and determine their fate in the Stanley Cup Final. Speaking of which...
3.) The Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final in the first season
Tell me, dear reader. Did you ever expect an expansion team to make the championship round in their first season? Would you expect a group of "Misfits" to win the Western Conference and shock the sports world? Wonder no longer because it happened in 2017-18.
Sure, Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals ended the fairy tale run on a sour note. However, the Golden Knights still managed to pull off a Cinderella run worthy of March Madness. Nobody expected them to make history with a hodgepodge group of players, yet here we are.