You think Minnesota sports fans have a fatal sense of impending doom?
Supporters of the Vegas Golden Knights can match them when it comes to that kind of gloom. Here's some of what was being said and written following the Wild's 3-0 victory over the Golden Knights to force Friday's Game 7.
From Danny Webster of the Knights on Ice blog: "The life of the sports narrative is fickle. It can tell the stories of excitement and long-lasting memories or lead to dread that hangs like a dark cloud until the narrative is snapped. And even for a 4-year-old franchise that has gone leaps and bounds above all meaningful expectations, the Golden Knights are once again on the brink of elimination after having seized all control in a series. For the third straight postseason, Vegas will be playing a Game 7 after giving up a 3-1 series lead; 2019 against the Sharks, and last year in the bubble against the Canucks."
From Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal: "I'm thinking in other lives, a majority of Golden Knights players weren't the closer types when it came to selling cars. Not sure you'd want them discussing those financing options that either seals or kills a deal. Consistency is most always a valued trait in sports, but not this kind: The Knights on Friday head to Game 7 of a playoff series for the third time in as many seasons after losing all of a 3-1 advantage."
From Justin Emerson of the Las Vegas Review-Sun: As the seconds died down in Game 6, the Golden Knights' two most public leaders summed up the emotions of their fan base. Captain Mark Stone sat with his helmet askew on his head, gloves off and helplessly watching as the Minnesota Wild killed off the remaining time with the outcome no longer in doubt. He went to the room first after the game ended Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made a beeline for the tunnel at the horn, he smashing his stick against the wall — the twig the poor victim of the Golden Knights' frustration that this is happening again.
Some disspiriting data for a Golden Knights fan:
And a poll from the same blog. Game 7 without Marc-Andre Fleury? (Tap to see the results.)
And, in closing, Shepard Price of Knights on Ice: "This was a bad game for the Golden Knights — flat out. Vegas never had a signature period of hockey, as their best period saw seven shots for and five against. Even in the third, when they needed a sense of urgency, the Golden Knights generated just eight shots to eight against. Part of the problem may be the recurring issue of blocked shots and misses. Minnesota blocked 18 of Vegas's shots in this game (Vegas blocked 11 of Minnesota's), and the Golden Knights missed 21 shots. Y'know, the same number they generated at 5-on-5.
"Talbot was not given much to do in his shutout, facing just 23 shots against (21 of them at 5-on-5) and 1.78 expected goals against. Talbot only needed to be three for three from high danger. Fleury, on the other end, did not have the rebound performance he needed. He stopped 21 of 24 shots, facing just 1.37 expected goals, and was four of five from high danger. The Golden Knights return to Las Vegas to face the Wild on Friday in Game 7. Vegas will look to break with franchise history, as they have yet to clinch a series victory on home ice."
