Vegas won its best-of-seven playoff series by defeating Los Angeles 1-0 on Tuesday night before an announced gathering of 18,422 at Staples Center.
Ed Graney
Sports columnist
Email: egraney@reviewjournal.com
Phone: (702) 383-4618
X: @edgraney
Ed Graney came to the Review-Journal in May of 2006 as its lead sports columnist. He has covered all major sporting events, including Super Bowls to NBA championships to every Final Four since 1995. Graney also covered the Olympic Games in Beijing (2008) and London (2012). A graduate of San Diego State University, he is a five-time Nevada Sportswriter of the Year and past winner of Associated Press Sports Editors Top 10 for columns. He and wife Bonnie have two children, a son (Tristan) and daughter (Bridget).
When it came time for head coach Gerard Gallant to decide between continuing with what Vegas offered in the first two games of its playoff series or inserting a now healthy David Perron back into the lineup, the choice didn’t fall in Tatar’s favor.
What changed for many who made the trek from Las Vegas was how affordable these playoffs suddenly became to witness firsthand.
One of the central reasons Vegas beat the Kings in two overtimes on Friday — other than the fact that Marc-Andre Fleury in goal matched the dazzling play of Jonathan Quick — was an obvious advantage in conditioning.
Put it this way: The Knights set a team record for attendance in each of the first two games. There won’t be so many faces smiling in their direction the next two.
It’s a safe bet things weren’t as physical as the final stats suggested — 127 hits were officially recorded — but that doesn’t mean Vegas didn’t send an important message.
It’s just the beginning — Game 2 is here Friday night — and yet if the pace and style present for much of Wednesday holds to form, we’re in for a string of games defined by big hits and the highest caliber of goaltending.
If any team appeared overly perturbed about how the Knights crashed the NHL’s party this season and produced a run to be etched in the game’s history books, it’s the Kings.
The faithful bond between Southern Nevada and the Golden Knights was born, in large part, through the response to a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival on 1 October.
The Golden Knights helped the city heal after the Oct. 1 shooting and continued to impress at the beginning of the season.
The cases of Canelo Alvarez and Conor McGregor connect in a way that those who will ultimately decide their fates are well aware of the financial jackpots both represent.
Gonzaga owned the lion’s share when it came to this whole leaving the West Coast Conference for the Mountain West scenario, but that doesn’t mean the league in which UNLV exists shouldn’t have made the effort.
Donte DiVincenzo, a redshirt sophomore, scored 31 points and the Wildcats are national champions for the second time in three years after a 79-62 victory against Michigan before 67,831 at the Alamodome.
If you were to begin a list of the best active college basketball coaches who haven’t yet won a title, you wouldn’t write many — perhaps any — before coming to John Beilein of Michigan.
Key facts and matchups for Monday night’s NCAA national championship game between No. 1 Villanova and No. 3 Michigan.
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