2018 Second Round Game 7 vs Edmonton Oilers
Vegas Golden Knights: The expansion team that stormed the NHL and made history in 2018.
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. They play their home games at T-Mobile Arena, which opened in 2016. The Golden Knights joined the NHL as an expansion team for the 2017–18 season, becoming the first major professional sports franchise in Las Vegas. In their inaugural season, they defied expectations by reaching the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Washington Capitals.
Quick Facts
- Event
- 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Second Round Game 7
- Location
- T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Opponent
- San Jose Sharks
- Result
- Vegas Golden Knights Win (3-0)
- Series outcome
- Golden Knights advance to Western Conference Final
- Key moment
- Marc-André Fleury's shutout performance and the team's relentless defensive effort
Lore & Background
The Vegas Golden Knights' 2018 Second Round Game 7 against the San Jose Sharks was a historic moment in their inaugural playoff run. After taking a 3-0 series lead, the Golden Knights saw the Sharks claw back to force a decisive Game 7. In front of a raucous home crowd at T-Mobile Arena, goaltender Marc-André Fleury delivered a masterful shutout, stopping all 28 shots he faced. The Golden Knights won 3-0, with goals from Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith, and William Karlsson. The victory propelled Vegas to the Western Conference Final, where they would defeat the Winnipeg Jets to reach the Stanley Cup Final. This Game 7 win remains one of the most memorable moments in franchise history, showcasing the team's resilience and the electric atmosphere of the 'Fortress.'
Reader's Guide
The Oilers were founded in 1971 by W. D. "Wild Bill" Hunter and Dr. Chuck Allard and played its first season in 1972–73 as one of the 12 founding franchises of the WHA. They were renamed the Edmonton Oilers in 1973 and joined the NHL in 1979. They won the Stanley Cup five times in the 1980s and early 1990s. The team has not won a division title since 1987. They missed the playoffs for 10 seasons after 2006. They selected four first overall picks between 2007 and 2019: Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov and Connor McDavid. The Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and 2025, losing both times to the Florida Panthers.
Did You Know?
- The Vegas Golden Knights are the first NHL team to win a playoff series in their inaugural season since the Edmonton Oilers in 1979-80.
- Marc-André Fleury recorded his 14th career playoff shutout in Game 7 of the 2018 Second Round, moving into a tie for 7th all-time at that point.
- The Golden Knights' 2018 playoff run included a 13-5 record, with Fleury posting a .947 save percentage and 1.68 goals-against average.
- The San Jose Sharks were the first opponent the Golden Knights faced in a Game 7, and Vegas improved to 1-0 in such games.
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