Fitkul.cz | Diskuse

od **douhua2233** » čtv 11. říj 2018 2:52:33

LAS VEGAS — Everyone knew that this would be a year of firsts for the expansion Vegas Golden Knights when they began play early last October.

Things like first goal (James Neal). First win (at Dallas Authentic Customized Cowboys Jerseys , 2-1). First shutout (Oscar Dansk, 7-0, vs. Colorado). And, if things went really well, maybe even a first playoff win (1-0 vs. Los Angeles Kings).

But very few expected the team that openly calls itself “The Golden Misfits” to possibly earn the first Stanley Cup in team history.

But that’s a very real possibility as the Western Conference champion Golden Knights begin the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Finals on Monday night against the Alex Ovechkin-led Eastern Conference champion Washington Capitals at T-Mobile Arena.

Can you imagine a victory parade on the famed Las Vegas Strip with the Stanley Cup as the featured participant?

“No, I try not to think about that,” Neal, who lost in the 2017 Finals to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a member of the Nashville Predators, said. “I don’t want to try and get too far ahead, you know. Definitely a dream for sure. Man, it would be crazy, huh.”

Almost as crazy as people lining up at 6:30 in the morning to make sure they get a seat to watch a 35-minute practice at 11 a.m. as was the case on Saturday at City National Arena in the suburb of Summerlin, where the Golden Knights practice.

Or Celine Dion wearing a Marc-Andre Fleury jersey during one of her sold out shows at nearby Caesars Palace. Or the Statue of Liberty in front of the New York New York Hotel being draped in a huge Vegas Golden Knights jersey.

“It’s crazy how much support we’ve gotten all season here,” Fleury http://www.bearsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-james-daniels-jersey , who can become just the 11th goalie in NHL history to have his name engraved four times on the Stanley Cup, said. “Waiting in line to come into practice Having the wave and chants during practice? Never seen that before. It’s been amazing.”

Now the Golden Knights, who have had an eight-day break since knocking off Winnipeg in five games in the Western Conference final, are just four wins away from capping their storybook season in spectacular fashion.

“I don’t like thinking too far ahead,” Fleury said. “I just want to win. I don’t care what happened before and stuff. We’re so close. I want to win. I want to be a part of this team winning the Cup. That’s all that matters.”

They’ll have to get by a Washington team also trying to make history by winning its first Stanley Cup and is a remarkable 8-2 on the road in the playoffs, including a 4-0 blanking of Tampa Bay in Game 7 of the Eastern finals on Wednesday. The record for road wins in a playoff is 10.

Getting to the Stanley Cup Finals took a tremendous burden off the back of star left wing Ovechkin who has scored 664 career goals, including 12 in this postseason. The 32-year-old, now in his 13th season, has an NHL-best 15 points (8 goals, 7 assists) on the road in the playoffs and was very emotional during postgame interviews after finally garnering his first berth in a Stanley Cup Final.

“We’ve never been in this position before,” Ovechkin said. “All my career, I played for this team, and we never get the success like that. The town is going nuts.”

More than 6,000 fans came to Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington Justin Tucker Jersey , Va., on Saturday for the team’s final morning skate and to send the team off to Las Vegas, where the Golden Knights are a combined 35-11-2 this season. Some have joked part of the reason for the expansion team’s home success was the so-called “Vegas Flu” that hit teams that may have felt a little listless after spending the previous night out on the town.

Ovechkin said that won’t be a problem Monday night or for Game 2 on Wednesday night at T-Mobile Arena.

“We’re going (to Vegas) to play hockey, not to pool party and play in a casino,” he told NHL.com. “We’re going there to play hockey and do our thing, and then we’re going to have all the summer and whatever we want to do, we can to do it.”

Vegas won both regular-season meetings between the two teams, 3-0 behind 26 saves by Fleury on Dec. 23 in Las Vegas, and 4-3 on an Alex Tuch goal with 5:12 remaining on Feb. 4 at Capital One Arena in D.C.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Eagles are looking for a Green Repeat.

Led by Nick Foles, the Philadelphia Eagles won their first Super Bowl last season with a 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots.

Foles took over last season when Carson Wentz tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee. Wentz is not expected to be ready when the Eagles begin defense of their title on Sept. 6 by hosting the Atlanta Falcons to open the NFL’s regular season.

The Patriots are the most recent team to win consecutive championships, winning Super Bowls 38 and 39.

And the Eagles will start their quest as the top team in the first AP Pro 32 poll of the 2018 season.

The Eagles received six of the 12 first-place votes and 367 points in balloting by media members who regularly cover the NFL.

The Patriots, who have been to eight Super Bowls in the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick era, were a close second — just as they were in the loss to the Eagles in Minneapolis. The Patriots received three first-place votes and finished with 366 points.

“As long as the Killer B’s, Brady and Belichick Durham Smythe Color Rush Jersey , reside in Foxborough, the Pats will loom as the team to beat,” said Ira Kaufman of SB Nation Radio.

The Minnesota Vikings, who lost to the Eagles in the NFC championship game, are No. 3. The Vikings added quarterback Kirk Cousins in the offseason to a team with high expectations.

“Is Kirk Cousins the answer? That’s the only question about this team,” Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams said.

The Los Angeles Rams, who won the NFC West last season, earned two first-place votes and are No. 4.

“(Brandin) Cooks dynamite in new offense,” Fox Sports’ John Czarnecki said of the speedy wide receiver who had 1,082 yards last season in New England.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, who have won three of the past four AFC North titles, are No. 5.

Drew Brees and the Saints received the other first-place vote and will start the season at No. 6.

“My projected Super Bowl winner leads this list,” said Alex Marvez of The Sporting News. “Tom Benson would have loved the Super Bowl 53 post party.”

The Jacksonville Jaguars, who were in position to reach the Super Bowl until blowing a fourth-quarter lead at New England in the AFC title game http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-terrell-edmunds-jersey , are No. 7.

The Jaguars will start the season short-handed after they lost receiver Marqise Lee for the season with a knee injury. He was hurt in a preseason game against the Falcons, who are No. 8 in the poll.

The Packers, who slumped to a 7-9 season after Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone, will begin at No. 9.

And L.A.’s other team, the Chargers, round out the top 10.

At the bottom of the poll, the Colts will start at No. 30 despite the return of franchise QB Andrew Luck.

The Browns, who have lost 31 of 32 games in the past two seasons, are fittingly No. 31. The Browns will have a tough opener as they host the Steelers.

And the Jets, who could start rookie Sam Darnold at QB, will begin in last place at No. 32.

“The future may be bright with Sam Darnold, but the present looks brutal,” Marvez said.

Indianapolis Colts Elite Jerseys