The Vegas Golden Knights punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final Tuesday night, and fans across the city are still riding that wave. Vegas completed a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final, completing a four-game sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy winners and booking a trip to hockey’s biggest stage for the third time in franchise history.
For longtime Golden Knights supporter Wade Wagner, being inside T-Mobile Arena for the clincher was simply unforgettable. “To be at the game last night and be able to celebrate with the players, it was one of the highlights of my life,” Wagner said.
Wagner wasted no time adding to his jersey collection Wednesday, heading to City National Arena to pick up a new sweater. Stanley Cup Final merchandise officially went on sale Thursday morning at City National Arena. He zeroed in on one choice immediately — Captain Mark Stone, who scored for the second straight game in the clincher.
Fans packed the Vegas Golden Knights team store at City National Arena Wednesday morning ahead of that official release. Shelves were stocked with “Las Vegas versus everybody” shirts alongside jerseys, hats, and playoff apparel celebrating the team’s Western Conference title — a phrase that has become shorthand for a city-wide rally behind the team. Local retailers also felt the surge, with shoppers fanning out to stores around Las Vegas, including Dick’s Sporting Goods in Henderson, to grab Western Conference Finals Championship gear.
Las Vegas has dropped only a handful of games since replacing head coach Bruce Cassidy with John Tortorella in late March — a move that, on the surface, raised questions about the organization’s direction. Instead, it lit a fire. Fans say the team’s resilience throughout that adversity makes this playoff run feel uniquely meaningful.
“Everybody counted them out,” one fan told News 3. “This team just keeps proving people wrong.”
Wagner, for one, has zero doubt about what comes next: “The Golden Knights are going to win; they’re on a roll, they’re playing with such confidence, they’re playing fast, they’re playing smooth, their passes have been on point,” Wagner said. “I have total confidence that they’re going to win this thing.”
The Golden Knights now await their Stanley Cup Final opponent, with the Carolina Hurricanes holding a 3-1 series lead over the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Final.