Lawless: The Ultimate Business Trip

FORT LAUDERDALE - Alex Pietrangelo was asked midflight on Tuesday morning if he'd packed a serious suit or a fun-in-the-sun suit. His answer just may give Vegas Golden Knights fans chills: "I only have business suits. You know me better than that by now."

There are business trips and then there are those which can impactfully change an organization from top to bottom.

The Vegas Golden Knights have embarked on what must be considered the most important bit of travel to date in team history.

Bill Foley, no doubt, made some critical trips in his efforts to secure a franchise. George McPhee flew from the East Coast to Montana to meet Foley for the first time. That excursion eventually led to McPhee having the opportunity to draw the blueprint for the hockey side of this organization. And the team has made six seasons worth of road swings winning and losing games.

Three plus rounds of playoff trips this spring have resulted in the team arriving at this point.

All of the past is important. All of it leading towards the possibility of this moment which is upon the players, the franchise, and its fans.

The opportunity is obvious. Win one game in Florida and return to Vegas with the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup on home ice. Win two games in Florida and come home with the Stanley Cup in tow.

"Our group is really good at flipping the switch. I think we're ready. We'll take today and enjoy each other's company then get back to work on Wednesday and reset our hockey mind and have a good practice and get ready to play again on Thursday," said Pietrangelo. "Days like this are nice. You only get these opportunities so many times and today is a good chance to enjoy it. Take the foot off the gas for a bit."

By virtue of a pair of wins over the Florida Panthers in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final, Vegas is two wins away from a history making accomplishment.

The mood on Tuesday's plane ride from Vegas to Fort Lauderdale was relaxed. Management and coaches kept to themselves allowing the players to relax and allow their minds to wander away from hockey. But not too far into the future said Pietrangelo.

"There hasn't been much talk about what's beyond the next period. We know where we are. They (Florida) know where they are. Our group takes a lot of pride in playing the right way together as a group. It's been our recipe for success," he said. "Playing as a team. When you have the depth and everyone is involved, we're not over taxing anyone. We can keep our energy up. We know what's at stake. We need a good practice Wednesday and I expect that. Yeah, we won the last game but I still think there are some things we can adjust and do better. We're really good at looking in the mirror."

What can Vegas do better is the obvious follow-up.

"I can't tell you all the secrets. Both teams are trying to establish the forecheck. We can do more there," said the former St. Louis Blues captain. "They still have had some opportunities. We can work to minimize those by doing a better job coming back into our own end."

The last three games have seen 10 different players or more pick up points which is a team playoff record. They had 10 in Game 6 vs. Dallas, 10 in Game 1 vs. Florida and 12 in Game 2 vs. Florida.

"We're having fun. I think you have to enjoy it. There's a balance of living in the moment and enjoying it. It only comes around so often. As a group, the way we're playing together, not knowing every night who is going to be the hero, is a fun way to play hockey," said Pietrangelo. "Our group has been close all year. But playing the way we are now, it pulls you together even more. Brett Howden scores two, Marty (Alec Martinez) gets one. I love that shit. That's the best way to put it. I love that shit. Those guys do all the hard stuff all the time. Hard minutes. Kill penalties, block shots. Then they get rewarded and get to be in on the fun stuff. I love it."

Finally, Florida has seemed intent on starting scrums after whistles. Not fights, no one has squared off for an actual scrap in this series, but post-whistle pushing and shoving has been constant.

"We're not going to get into that stuff. We can stand up for one another when we need to. I'm not worried about that. I haven't been worried about that all year," Pietrangelo. "If that's the game they want to play, so be it. But there's an end game for us. We're here for a reason. We have to keep our mindset focused on why we're here."

Like we said, this is business. For Vegas, potentially the greatest kind of business there is in hockey.