LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday proved to be a dominating game. The Golden Knights won their first Stanley Cup, defeating the Florida Panthers 9-3.
Bill Foley owner of the Vegas Golden Knights spoke to 8 News Now following the team’s first Stanley Cup title win on Tuesday.
“This has been such a ride,” Foley expressed. “I’m still getting over it, it’s unbelievable!”
During Game 5, Golden Knights Captain, Mark Stone, led the offensive attack with a hat trick that brought Las Vegas its second professional sports championship.
Foley described the team’s season including the injuries many players endured before reaching their big win. Some of the players dealt with injuries at the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023.
“I’m close to all these guys, I know their families, I mean it’s really an honor to be around them, they’re such great guys,” Foley expressed.
Foley had a vision and plan to win the Stanley Cup in the franchise’s sixth year of existence.
“No one gave us any chance and then the All-Star break came, pedal to the metal,” he added.
The original players during the team’s inaugural season in 2017 are affectionately known as the “Golden Misfits,” many of whom played a pivotal role during the team’s road to victory during the season.
“Bruce “Butch” Cassidy started them, those were the starting forwards in the final game, just to set the standard,” Foley recalled. “It’s magical honestly, I’m still trying to get over it.”
Foley also described the depth of his team throughout the season during the many ups and downs.
“People didn’t give us a lot of credit, I remember before the Winnipeg game it was like 60-40, Winnipeg is going to win,” he recalled. “Then we go to Edmonton, Edmonton is such a strong team and they’re so powerful and they’re so quick, 22 out of 23 analysts said, ‘No, the Golden Knights have no chance.’ Then we go to Dallas, I think it was 26 out of 28 said, ‘No, we are going to lose.’ We love it, we love being an underdog, we love proving we can be different and we can play hard.”
The full interview with VGK owner Bill Foley can be viewed at the top of this article.