Led by veterans Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Alex Pietrangelo and Marc-André Fleury, the Golden Knights will be making their third appearance in the NHL playoff four in four seasons of existence.
We want to win and that’s what we’ve said many times
, McCrimmon recalled by videoconference on Friday. Over the past four years, we have often found ourselves in situations where it would have been easy, and even justified, to do nothing, but we don’t approach it that way.
We want to win and we know what a champion team should look like. You have to make tough decisions along the way
, he added. We have always improved our team from year to year over our four years of existence.
The first two series were tough, and it will be an even bigger challenge in the semi-finals.
The Golden Knights needed seven games to beat the Minnesota Wild in the first round. They then toppled the Colorado Avalanche in six games, winning four in a row after falling 2-0 in the series.
It is thanks to the character, leadership and maturity of the group
McCrimmon insisted. Our team believes in her. It’s a mature group. This time of year, you need players who can make a difference. When you build a team, you want players who can make big plays.
McCrimmon noted the important goals scored by Jonathan Marchessault to allow the Golden Knights to avoid ending up with their backs to the wall against the Avalanche and the Wild.
He also spoke about Stone’s overtime-winning goal in Game 5 against the Avalanche, and the contribution of support players Keegan Kolesar and William Carrier in the decisive 6-3 victory over the Avalanche on Thursday night.
McCrimmon also echoed his head coach Peter DeBoer, who claimed Pietrangelo was the best player in the series against the Avalanche.
He played extremely well and played a lot
, he stressed. His calm and determination also have an impact within the team. He has already won.
We should not underestimate the value of having already been a champion, and even captain of a champion team in his case.
Pietrangelo guided the Saint Louis Blues to top honors in 2019. He was the Golden Knights’ main acquisition during the offseason this fall.
Alex Pietrangelo lifts the Stanley Cup.
Photo : Getty Images / Bruce Bennett
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The Golden Knights now hope to return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2018, in their inaugural season. They were held back in the semifinals by the Dallas Stars last summer in the NHL bubble in Edmonton.
The Stars were protecting the goal well and the Wild did the same in the first round, as they did all season.
, McCrimmon said. The Canadian is similar from this point of view.
They have a top 4 on defense who plays a lot and protects the front of the net well. They also have a nice balance on the attack. It is a confident and fast group, which is well managed by Dominique Ducharme
, he continued.
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McCrimmon also believes fan support made a difference in the playoffs this spring.
If we lose the third game in the series [contre l’Avalanche], the slope may be too difficult to go up.
In this game, we were late late in the third period, but the fans continued to support us. Marchessault scores a big goal, then we are transported by this wave and Pacioretty scores the winning goal 45 seconds later. Maybe we don’t win this game if we’re in the NHL bubble in Edmonton like last summer, if there isn’t that extra energy.
, he said.
In the Canadian camp, the stakeholders questioned over the past few days were unanimous. The Golden Knights will have an advantage by being able to count on a full house of more than 18,000 spectators at home, against only 2,500 spectators for the Habs at the Bell Center.
Ducharme, however, claimed on Friday that the Golden Knights did not have an intimidating crowd.
The most important will probably be the play on the ice. On that, McCrimmon is right to be confident thanks to his many seasoned veterans.
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