How did Matyas Sapovaliv do at the Memorial Cup?

Everyone loves it when history is made. It shatters conventional wisdom and gives hope to any team or person that they can achieve the impossible. The Saginaw Spirit achieved a massive victory on Sunday by knocking off the London Knights, 5-4. It marked the first time Saginaw won the Memorial Cup and the fifth time a U.S.-based team won the tournament in its 104-year history. Stephen Colbert and his buddy, Steagle Colbeagle, would be extremely proud.

But what does a hockey team made famous by a comedian have to do with the Vegas Golden Knights? Why, Matyas Sapovaliv, of course! The Czech prospect represented his NHL team by playing for the Spirit, becoming a champion in the process. He even got a shoutout from the Golden Knights on social media, highlighting his team's excellence.

Awesome, isn't it? It feels great when a prospect gets heralded from his NHL club, proving he's on to bigger and better things.

But Vegas hockey fans are wondering how the Czech forward did during the tournament. There's a sense of pride knowing that one of your prospects is dominating the competition. So how did the young star do during the Memorial Cup? Was his performance good or was it forgetful?

What did Matyas Sapovaliv contribute during the Memorial Cup?

In five games, Matyas Sapovaliv only had one assist. That doesn't seem like the most breathtaking statistic in the tournament. Some people will perceive this as the Czech winger unable to perform under the bright lights. That could prove worrisome for some fans who expect their favorite players to perform under pressure.

However, there are a couple of reasons not to worry. For one, the sample size is small. Five games don't tell much about a player, whether it's their true strengths or weaknesses. Keep in mind that Sapovaliv scored 19 goals and 43 assists in 54 games this season. He also performed well during the World Junior Championships (under 20), showing his ability to play well under pressure.

But that's not the only takeaway from the tournament for the Czech prospect. He also posted the second-most faceoff wins during the Memorial Cup, winning 53 of 104 faceoffs (50.1% FOW). That's another benefit for the Vegas Golden Knights, especially during crunch time.

Evaluating Sapovaliv's viability with the Vegas Golden Knights

With the Saginaw Spirit on top of the developmental hockey world, Matyas Sapovaliv should savor this moment. But he should also build off his victories during the Memorial Cup, building himself up for a future spot on the Vegas Golden Knights. In life, a person is never done learning or practicing, which is the difference between being the next Connor McDavid or the next Alexandre Daigle.

Adding faceoff proficiency to his resume will make him a lucrative prospect. With his offensive talents and physical traits, he'll become a viable forward for Vegas's future plans. Sometimes, all it takes is one tournament--or even game--for a player to take themselves to the next level. For Sapovaliv, that opportunity could lead to better things for his hockey career.