Six straight periods. That's how long it was for the Vegas Golden Knights since their last goal. SIX. STRAIGHT. PERIODS. Let me add more emphasis on that. 127 MINUTES?!
That's a long dry spell to churn out when your season's on the line. Despite 24 shots on goal, they couldn't figure out Stuart Skinner. In fact, they barely tested him in the last two games, mustering 47 combined shots.
The result? An overtime winner by Kasperi Kapanen that sealed the deal and set off a collective orgasm in Edmonton. The Edmonton Oilers got their revenge and are moving on to the Western Conference Final. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights' forward group looked as clueless as Rachel Zegler in the new Snow White movie.
Again, take your pick among the many disappointing players during the series. Maybe you want to blame Tomas Hertl (no points during the series), whose playoff viability is starting to come into question. He must've forgotten that he's not in San Jose anymore.
Perhaps you want to point the finger at Pavel Dorofeyev (also no points in the second round), who dealt with a combination of injuries and the lights being too bright. Maybe you want to blame ESPN, who's part of an insufferable media company that loves the smell of its own farts. The moral of the story? The Golden Knights beat themselves and couldn't get out of their own way.
Some bright spots for the Vegas Golden Knights, starting with Adin Hill
Let's be honest here. Adin Hill was actually solid in Game 5. He stopped 31 shots and kept the Vegas Golden Knights in the game. The 29-year-old actually built off his good performance in Game 4 and turned out a show-stopping game for the Golden Knights.
Unfortunately, he got no help from the offensive group, who couldn't get any pucks on net. This great performance would've been greatly appreciated in the earlier part of the series, where Vegas was in a dogfight with the Edmonton Oilers. Still, fans know what's expected from Hill and should look forward to his output in the next few years.
Then there's Jack Eichel, who might've failed to register a point in the last two games. However, he played like a man on a mission (or like Patrick Mahomes during the playoffs) in those two games. Eichel constantly battled for the puck and sped down the ice with his teammates, seeking the open man. Again, he was let down by a lack of offensive support (Mahomes never had that problem).
Finally, Leon Draisaitl was surprisingly quiet on the goal-scoring front in the last two games. They combined for two assists in that span, rendering a quiet performance. However, that's a moot point when you *say it with me, class* don't score goals.
This season will be remembered as the one that got away
The Golden Knights had everything lined up for them. They won the Pacific Division title, had 50 wins, and secured 110 points. Yet all that wasn't enough when the team needed it the most. One can say it was a tired group that ran out of juice. You can also say playoff injuries to key stars like Mark Stone and Pavel Dorofeyev did them in.
Regardless, the Golden Knights will enter the offseason with some interesting questions. No, they don't have to worry about locking up a goaltender since they did that with Adin Hill. But they do have to worry about getting Jack Eichel a nice contract extension.
What will Kelly McCrimmon pay for the forward?
Will it be sustainable for the team's future?
The good news is that the salary cap is shooting up in the next few years. Think of going as high as $113.5 million by 2027-28. But this team isn't getting any younger. Big names like Mark Stone (33 years old) and William Karlsson (32 years old) simply can't break Father Time's arms off. Plus, the draft pick and prospect cupboard is barren.
Therefore, it'll be intriguing to see which direction Kelly McCrimmon heads in this offseason. Will he trade certain players (i.e. Nicolas Hague or Zach Whitecloud) and get more draft picks? Will he stay put? Stay tuned. All of this comes after the sad end to the 2024-25 season.