What VGK Day means to the Las Vegas community

The Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup on this day in 2023. What did the Stanley Cup win mean for the new franchise?
2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Five
2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Five | Bruce Bennett/GettyImages
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The battle against the Florida Panthers

Now, the Florida Panthers were a formidable opponent. In 2022-23, they weren't even supposed to be a threat, barely edging out the Buffalo Sabres for a playoff spot. Going up against the Boston Bruins, a team with 135 points? No chance in hell.

...Except they defeated those Bruins in seven games. Suddenly, the Panthers were on fire. We're talking about winning 11 of 12 playoff games after April 23, 2023, heading into the Stanley Cup Final. Were the Golden Knights in trouble?

Well, not really. Sure, things weren't hunky-dory with Eric Staal scoring a shorthanded goal. But this legendary save from Adin Hill changed the course of the series.

That led to an outpouring of goals and a 3-1 series lead. Of course, Game 4 wasn't easy. It took withstanding a late Florida storm to bring the series back to Las Vegas with that lead. Still, the boys were one game away.