Golden Knights Take Game 7, Advance to Western Conference Final

The Vegas Golden Knights earned a victory in Game 7 for the first time in franchise history as they defeated the Vancouver Canucks, 3-0, to win their Stanley Cup Playoffs second round series, 4-3, Friday night at Rogers Place.

HOW IT WENT DOWN
Thatcher Demko picked up where he left off from his Game 6 shutout as he and Robin Lehner pitched shutouts through two periods of play in Game 7. Late in the second period, Ryan Reaves was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct. The Golden Knights killed off the penalty and carried the momentum into a power play of their own in the final seven minutes of the third. After a timeout, Shea Theodore fired home the game's first goal to mark the first Golden Knights' tally since his goal in Game 5. Alex Tuch and Paul Stastny added empty-net goals as Vegas claimed the win in Game 7.
TOP PERFORMERS
Robin Lehner: Lehner stopped all 14 shots that came his way in the win.
Shea Theodore:Theodore's sixth goal of the playoffs was the deciding goal in the victory.
Thatcher Demko: Demko kept the Canucks in the series as he made 33 saves in Game 7.
SERIES REWIND
The Golden Knights set the tone in Game 1 with a 5-0 win, but Vancouver answered with 5-2 victory in Game 2. Vegas earned back-to-back wins in Game 3 (3-0) and Game 4 (5-3) to take a 3-1 series lead, but the Canucks climbed back with consecutive triumphs to knot the series at 3-3. The three-goal victory in Game 7 sealed the deal for Vegas as it punched its ticket to the Western Conference Final for the second time in three seasons.
STAT OF THE KNIGHT
Lehner's shutout victory was his third shutout of the series.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Golden Knights gear up to face the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final with Game 1 set for Sunday.