Tag: 2023 Stanley Cup Final

5 facts about the Vegas Golden Knights’ diamond-studded championship rings

Not gonna lie. We’re kinda jealous.

Viva Las Vegas! The Vegas Golden Knights diamond-studded championship rings are here, and they are glorious.

Las Vegas, Nevada, is a city dripping in glitz, gold, and glamour. There’s nothing simple about the way Las Vegas does entertainment. Even their sports teams draw big-name celebrities as fans. Why should championship rings be any different?

The Golden Knights won their first NHL title in franchise history earlier this year, earning the league’s respect after a Game 5 win over the Florida Panthers during the Stanley Cup Finals.

Per Mike Brehm of USA TODAY, the 2023 Stanley Cup champions had rings made to commemorate the occasion.

Cover your eyes. It’s about to get bright.

Here are five facts and details about Vegas’ championship rings you don’t want to miss:

Adin Hill seemingly doing a Ricky Bobby impression was a classic moment at the Golden Knights’ parade

To be fair to Adin Hill, it’s possible he really didn’t know what do with his hands!

Beyond their fabulous depth and star power, Adin Hill was undoubtedly one of the Las Vegas Golden Knights’ biggest catalysts in scoring their first Stanley Cup.

A long-time journeyman bouncing from the AHL to the NHL, Hill shined in his first year as the Golden Knights’ main man between the pipes. His .932 save percentage during the playoffs was second-best of all netminders, and he reasonably could’ve been seen as a great Conn Smythe contender.

Yet, as the Golden Knights thoroughly enjoyed their parade festivities on Saturday, Hill, for once, didn’t really have an answer for a reporter asking him about the gravitas of his team’s accomplishment. Instead, he made what definitely felt like a Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby reference.

In a video from Scripps Sports/KMCC Las Vegas, like the eponymous fictional driver, Hill “didn’t know what to do with his hands.”

What a not-so-subtle way to sneak in a dynamite joke from a top-notch Will Ferrell movie. Judging by his face from looking at someone off-camera, Hill loved that he could sneak the nod into an interview. It goes to show you that even brick walls in net understand the comedic concept of seamless subtlety.

William Karlsson delivered an all-time, expletive-filled speech at the Golden Knights’ championship parade

“I was pretty [expletive] great. You guys were greater!”

An expansion franchise, the Las Vegas Golden Knights took six years to achieve one of the greatest dreams of every hockey player — hoist the Stanley Cup. After such a journey, it’s more than understandable if any of the players wanted to take the time to bask in the afterglow of their success.

William Karlsson might be the best example all around.

The Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup parade took place on Saturday night. IJt lined the Las Vegas Strip with countless people, and Sin City, ironically, never seemed more alive with happy sports energy.

After taking the microphone, Karlsson — the Golden Knights’ third-line center — went on an all-time rant with his speech. He talked up his teammate and Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Marchessault. He discussed his personal journey and the road the Golden Knights took to get to the top. He, for some reason, mentioned the Arizona Coyotes?

In all honesty, in a video from KTNV Las Vegas, a shirtless Karlsson kind of really covered everything while throwing in a healthy number of random expletives here and there:

(Warning: NSFW language in the video below.)

Phew. That man is having the time of his life talking up the biggest moment of his career.

I’m a little disappointed someone actually took the microphone away from Karlsson because how do you possibly follow him? You’ve got the essence of the defending champion Golden Knights encapsulated perfectly in just about two minutes.

This immaculate photo of the Golden Knights celebrating their Stanley Cup win had NHL fans in awe

A picture-perfect shot of the Golden Knights basking in Stanley Cup glory.

Talk about a picture-perfect representation of the Vegas Golden Knights’ incredible Stanley Cup run.

It’s only been a few days since the Golden Knights won their first-ever Stanley Cup, cementing themselves in hockey history forever after their Game 5 win over the Florida Panthers. No doubt there are more celebrations to come — the Golden Knights are even going to shut down the Strip for their parade! — but what has captured hockey fans hearts has been the team’s immediate post-victory joy.

MORE: The 19 best photos from the Vegas Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup victory.

Specifically, this photo — captured by Abbie Parr for the Associated Press.

What a shot. From Vegas making a near-perfect heart shape in their embraces to Jonathan Marchessault’s joyous face being the focal point as he screams his exaltations to the sky. Not only that, moments later, Marchessault won the Conn Smythe as the playoff MVP for his truly awesome performance this postseason.

NHL fans were in complete awe over this sublime photo of the Golden Knights celebrating their Stanley Cup victory.

NHL fans were appalled Matthew Tkachuk played in the Stanley Cup Final with a broken sternum

Post-Stanley Cup injury reports are brutal, but Matthew Tkachuk’s is horrifying.

It feels like a miracle that Matthew Tkachuk didn’t end up in the hospital after playing Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final with a broken sternum.

Yes, you read that right. Tkachuk played Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final with a broken sternum after taking a gnarly hit the game prior. In fact, Tkachuk logged nearly 17 minutes of ice time during the game, all while nursing a broken sternum.

Tkachuk ended up sitting out the series’ deciding Game 5 due to the injury.

The news of Tkachuk’s injury came after the Florida Panthers lost to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night, ending their Stanley Cup bid. Tkachuk’s injury was so bad, in fact, that the forward couldn’t even dress himself for Game 4. Someone else had to help him into his gear to play!

Hockey players have a reputation of playing through pain and serious injury, but what Tkachuk and the Panthers did here was completely reckless. No hockey game — yes, even the Stanley Cup Final! — is worth risking your long-term health over, especially in a high-impact sport like this.

NHL fans were horrified to learn that Tkachuk had played Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final with a broken sternum.

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Here, look at some adorable Golden Knights babies sitting in the Stanley Cup

BABIES IN THE CUP!

There are so many great traditions associated with the Stanley Cup, from kissing it to lifting it up and skating around to, uh, damaging it (maybe not that one).

I’m also putting in a vote for putting a baby in it. We’ve seen this a few times before and it never gets old.

Once again, on Tuesday night, as the Vegas Golden Knights hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup, both Reilly Smith and William Karlsson took turns putting their little ones in the cup part of the Cup. It’s delightful.

There’s a lot of stuff in the world not to like right now. So, here: Look at some babies in the Cup.

The 19 best photos from the Vegas Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup victory

What a scene in Vegas for the Stanley Cup!

There’s no party like a Vegas party!

On Tuesday, the Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup after beating the Florida Panthers 9-3 in Game 5. The win is the Golden Knights’ first ever Stanley Cup in their second overall championship appearance after joining the league back in the 2017-18 season.

The Golden Knights jumped out to a quick 2-0 advantage after the first period and never relinquished the lead to the Panthers once. Goaltender Adin Hill managed to shut the door one final time on the Panthers, ending the night with 31 saves on 34 shots.

MORE: See the moment the Golden Knights won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Given that it’s Vegas and over-the-top revelry is their thing, here are the 19 best photos from the Golden Knights’ 2023 Stanley Cup Final victory.

See the moment the Golden Knights won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history

“The silver trophy to the Golden Knights!”

The Vegas Golden Knights are your 2023 Stanley Cup champions!

On Tuesday, the Golden Knights finally lifted the Stanley Cup after completely dominating the Florida Panthers 9-3 in Game 5. While the Panthers were able to make it a one-goal game early in the second period, the Golden Knights scored four-straight goals in 10 minutes to put the game away for good.

And what a game it was. The Golden Knights dominated the Game 5 from puck drop, as Vegas’ relentless attack was just too much for the Panthers to overcome.

While Golden Knights fans knew the Stanley Cup was theirs from the second period onward, the moment the clock hit double zero was absolutely priceless.

Of course, the fun was only just beginning! Here’s the cathartic moment captain Mark Stone received the Stanley Cup.

Here’s how Golden Knights fans celebrated the team’s first-ever Stanley Cup!

Golden Knights fans belted ‘My Own Worst Enemy’ as Vegas went up big in Game 5 and it was awesome

“Please tell me, please tell me whyyyyyyyyyy.”

Whether it’s Virginia Tech women’s basketball, or Oregon football, we always love it when sports fans break out in song. On Tuesday night, it was hockey’s turn.

As the Golden Knights raced out to a big 6-1 lead in the second period of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals, Vegas fans started to get a little loose and have some fun of their own in the stands.

Midway through that period, Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy” started playing over the loudspeakers at T-Mobile Arena and fans began to sing along. But even after the song cut out, Golden Knights’ supporters kept singing, acapella style, creating a pretty cool and unique moment.

According to DJ Joe Green – who plays the in-arena music for the Golden Knights – this is something that Vegas fans have been doing for a little while. He first fired up the 1999 track from Lit on a retro night during a penalty kill.

“I was like, ‘We are our own worst enemy. Now we’re in the box,’” Green told the Mercedes in the Morning Show.

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It wasn’t really a sing-along moment, but fans loved it. So, Green kept playing it. And now it’s something Vegas fans look forward to.

“It’s just built up to this thing,” Green said. “I don’t want to use it too much because I don’t want it to get stale. But playoffs, I’m like, ‘third song, let’s do it.’”

Folks watching from home noticed it too.

The Vegas fans were in a big chanting and singing mood Tuesday night, later demanding that they wanted the Cup.

The Golden Knights made the coolest throwback to their original roster to begin Game 5

The “Golden Misfits” ride again!

The Vegas Golden Knights’ franchise may still be in its infancy, but they’ve certainly been one of the more successful NHL teams in recent years.

Since joining the NHL in the 2017-18 season, the Golden Knights have been to two Stanley Cup Finals and are on the cusp of their first championship. And ahead of Game 5 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, the Golden Knights had the coolest throwback to their roots.

Head coach Bruce Cassidy began Game 5 with the lineup of Reilly Smith, William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault, Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore. The significance? All five of those players were on the Golden Knights’ original roster back in 2017.

So, what are the Golden Misfits? The nickname is what Vegas players called themselves after the expansion draft. It makes sense, after all. The 30 original Golden Knights players were castoffs from the other NHL teams, all exposed for the expansion draft by their former clubs.

Golden Knights fans, of course, ate it all up ahead of Tuesday’s Game 5.

How awesome is that?