VEGAS BORN - A EHM Vegas Golden Knights Dynasty

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Quote: Originally Posted by johnstone1987

As a Die hard Sharks Fan. Lets Go LEAFS! Just kidding lol good luck my man!

Nothing wrong with a little friendly rivalry.

[johnstone1987]

Friendly? Nah **** Vegas!

[SENS_AK27]

Quote: Originally Posted by johnstone1987

Friendly? Nah **** Vegas!

BOO!!! Haters gonna Hate.

[johnstone1987]

Just teasing haha

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[SENS_AK27]

Toronto Takes Game 1 in Overtime Thriller, Defeats Vegas 4-3

June 2nd, 2025

Forward Nick Robertson celebrates after scoring the Game Winning Goal in Overtime as Toronto takes a 1-0 Series Lead.

The Stanley Cup Final opened with a dramatic showdown as the Toronto Maple Leafs edged out the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in overtime, taking Game 1 on the road at T-Mobile Arena. Nicholas Robertson played the hero, scoring just 20 seconds into overtime, capping off a thrilling, back-and-forth battle between the top seeds from each conference.

Both teams played a tight defensive game, showing a high level of respect for their opponent’s firepower. Neither side wanted to make the first costly mistake, leading to a structured, tactical matchup.

Toronto outshot Vegas 41-27, but the Golden Knights once again committed to blocking shots, finishing with 29 blocks compared to the Leafs’ 25. The Maple Leafs dominated in the faceoff circle and on the boards, controlling possession and dictating the pace for long stretches of the game.

With the win, Toronto takes a 1-0 series lead, shifting momentum in their favor ahead of Game 2.

Vegas got off to the perfect start, opening the scoring at 5:04 of the first period when Brendan Brisson finished a passing play from Morgan Geekie and Nathan Gaucher, putting the Golden Knights ahead 1-0.

The home crowd didn’t have to wait long for another Vegas goal, as Max Pacioretty made it 2-0 at 9:30, converting a setup from Mark Stone and Jack Eichel.

Toronto, however, pushed back and found a crucial goal late in the period. At 15:49, Josh Anderson buried a shot past Robin Lehner, finishing off a play from Nick Abruzzese to cut the deficit to 2-1 heading into the first intermission.

The second period was a defensive chess match, with both teams locking down the neutral zone and limiting high-danger scoring chances.

Just as it seemed Vegas would carry the 2-1 lead into the third, Toronto’s John Tavares tied the game at 18:58, finishing a pass from William Nylander and Travis Dermott.

The goal shifted momentum in Toronto’s favor, as the Leafs controlled offensive zone time and dictated play through the final minutes of the period.

Toronto took their first lead of the game at 8:40 of the third period, when Rodion Amirov found the back of the net, set up by Anderson. With the Leafs now ahead 3-2, they focused on playing shutdown hockey and limiting Vegas’s ability to transition into the offensive zone.

The Golden Knights, however, were not done yet. With just 2:30 left in regulation, Sam Reinhart tied the game at 3-3, finishing a play from Zach Whitecloud and William Karlsson.

The Vegas crowd erupted, sensing an opportunity for their team to steal the game in overtime.

The extra frame barely had time to begin before Toronto silenced the Vegas crowd.

Just 20 seconds into overtime, Nicholas Robertson took a feed from Auston Matthews, skated into space, and ripped a shot past Lehner to secure the Game 1 victory for Toronto.

The Maple Leafs stormed the ice in celebration, while Vegas was left stunned after clawing their way back late in the third.

“That’s the kind of game you dream about,” said Robertson. “We knew they were going to push hard, but we stayed with it and found a way to win. Now we need to use this momentum to steal another win here.”

Toronto’s ability to control puck possession, dominate the faceoff dot, and win board battles proved crucial in their win.

Meanwhile, Vegas struggled to generate consistent offense, relying heavily on blocked shots and counterattacks to stay in the game.

“They executed better than we did,” said Golden Knights captain Mark Stone. “We had chances, but we have to be sharper. It’s a long series, and we’ll be ready for Game 2.”

With Toronto now leading the series 1-0, the pressure shifts to Vegas to respond in Game 2 at T-Mobile Arena on June 4.

The Golden Knights will look to adjust offensively, while Toronto hopes to build on their Game 1 success and take a 2-0 series lead back home to Scotiabank Arena.

“We’ve got to reset and be better,” said Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy. “We’ve been in this position before, and we know how to bounce back.”

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Golden Knights Strike Back, Even Stanley Cup Final with 5-2 Win Over Maple Leafs

June 4th, 2025

Captain Mark Stone scored his 7th Goal of the Post Season late in the 3rd Period, but it would prove to be the Game Winner as Vegas ties the Series 1-1.

The Vegas Golden Knights bounced back in a big way, scoring four unanswered goals to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena.

After falling behind twice, Vegas found its offensive rhythm in the second period and locked down defensively in the third, sealing the win with two late empty-net goals. The victory ties the series 1-1, shifting momentum back in Vegas’s favor as the series moves to Toronto for Games 3 and 4.

Despite being outshot 35-28, Vegas controlled the physical battle (33 hits to 27) and took advantage of key scoring chances in the final frame to secure the much-needed win.

Toronto grabbed the early momentum, capitalizing on a Vegas miscue at 12:57 of the first period, when William Nylander stole the puck and scored shorthanded to put the Leafs ahead 1-0.

Vegas evened the score early in the second period, with William Karlsson netting the equalizer at 5:00, finishing a setup from Sam Reinhart and Zach Whitecloud.

However, Toronto responded just 1:08 later, as Matthew Knies put the Leafs back on top, 2-1, finishing a pass from Ilya Mikheyev and Travis Dermott.

Vegas wouldn’t stay down for long. Jack Eichel delivered the tying goal at 17:02, taking a beautiful setup from Max Pacioretty and firing it past Ilya Samsonov, sending the game into the third period tied 2-2.

“We knew we had to push back,” said Eichel. “They’re a great team, but we stuck with it and found a way to break through.”

The Golden Knights broke the deadlock at 15:21 of the third, when Mark Stone buried a shot from the slot, finishing a quick passing sequence from Pacioretty and Eichel to give Vegas a 3-2 lead.

With Toronto pressing for the equalizer and pulling their goalie for the extra attacker, Vegas sealed the win with two empty-net goals.

At 18:46, Alex Pietrangelo fired the puck from his own zone, beating the Maple Leafs’ defense for a 4-2 lead. Just 32 seconds later, Pacioretty added another empty-netter, set up by Stone and Whitecloud, capping off a dominant final stretch.

Toronto continued to block shots aggressively (21 to Vegas’s 8), but the Golden Knights adjusted their attack, focusing on quick passing and net-front presence to generate offense.

Meanwhile, Vegas’s defensive adjustments helped limit Toronto’s quality scoring chances, especially in the final 10 minutes.

“We played a much better third period,” said Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy. “We knew we had to lock it down, and the guys did a great job executing.”

With the Stanley Cup Final now tied 1-1, the series moves to Scotiabank Arena in Toronto for Game 3 on June 6.

Toronto still holds home-ice advantage but will need to regroup quickly after letting a third-period lead slip away.

“We had control of the game, and we let it get away from us,” said Leafs captain John Tavares. “We’ll make the adjustments and be ready for Game 3.”

Meanwhile, Vegas heads to Toronto with confidence, knowing they can win in different ways and weather the Maple Leafs’ pressure.

“It’s going to be electric in Toronto,” said Stone. “We need to be ready to handle their energy and play our game.”

[johnstone1987]

How you feel about Games 3 and 4 in Toronto?