The Vegas Golden Knights had the chance to take a 3-1 series lead over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night, but lost 5-3 in Game 4. If this year's Stanley Cup Final has shown anything, it's that no lead is safe and anything can happen. Game 4 was a prime example, as the Golden Knights tied the game after trailing 3-1 after the first period, only to watch the Hurricanes score two unanswered goals in the third period.
As crazy as the Stanley Cup Final has been, so has the NBA Finals. On Wednesday night, the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 after trailing by as much as 29 points in Game 4. The highlight was OG Anunoby tipping in Jalen Brunson' deep shot attempt with just over one second remaining in regulation. Now, the Knicks are just one win away from winning their first NBA Championship since 1973.
On Thursday, Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman asked Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella if he watched the end of Game 4 between the Knicks and Spurs, which he said he did. Tortorella said that once the Knicks cut their deficit down to 15 points, he "knew something stupid was going to happen," comparing it to the Stanley Cup Final, saying "the same stupid stuff is happening in our series."
Friedman continued, bringing up that De'Aaron Fox of the Spurs had the chance to kill the clock and clinch the Game 4 victory after forcing a turnover, but instead went for a layup, which was blocked by Anunoby. Friedman asked Tortorella what he thought as a coach when these players make decisions in the heat of the moment in important games. Tortorella had an incredible response.
John Tortorella knows the moment of Stanley Cup Finals can overcome players
"I think the intensity and just the moment that's going on in the Finals now, they're human beings," said Tortorella. "It just overcomes you sometimes. To do some stupid things...One thing as a coach, you look for, as long as they care, as long as they're trying, that's all you can ask. And there will be some crazy things that go along with it."
Look, it happens sometimes in sports. With the chance to clinch a victory, sometimes the moment can overtake a player and it ends up backfiring. For the Spurs, they had the chance to tie the NBA Finals at 2-2 while sending the series back to San Antonio. That play by Fox backfired, and now the Spurs are on the brink of losing the NBA Finals.
For Tortorella, he knows situations like this can happen in an all-important playoff game. For him, as long as the players are caring and giving putting their full effort on the ice, that's all he can ask for.
This Stanley Cup Final has shown that anything can happen. Vegas picked up the 5-4 Game 1 victory after the two teams went back-and-forth throughout the game. In Game 2, as Vegas blew a 2-0 lead by allowing three unanswered Carolina goals, only for Mark Stone to send the game to overtime. Yet, the Hurricanes won 4-3 in overtime on a Seth Jarvis goal. In Game 3, the Golden Knights blew a 4-0 lead, allowing four unanswered goals by Carolina, but Shea Theodore to score the winning goal in double overtime. There was Game 4, after their comeback attempt fell short against Hurricanes and rookie goaltender Brandon Bussi, who made his playoff debut.
While Vegas and Carolina fans are obviously tuned in to the Stanley Cup Final, hockey fans should be as well, because it has been pure entertainment and craziness. Based on the first four games, we don't expect their to be a boring game. We'll see if Vegas can take a 3-2 series lead on Thursday with a Game 5 victory. Golden Knights fans will certainly hope that they don't do what the Spurs did in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
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