LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The 2023 champion Vegas Golden Knights were honored in Washington, D.C. on Monday.
The celebration started with President Joe Biden taking the stage and welcoming the 2023 Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Golden Knights to the White House.
“Just six years ago the idea of a championship playing on the ice in the Vegas desert […] who would have thunk it,” Biden said. “Seemed like a pipe dream.”
The president highlighted the playoff performance of one particular Golden Knight.
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“Congrats to those incredible players led by Captain Mark Stone,” Biden said. “Two back surgeries […] in a year, missed the second half of the season, returns for game one of the playoffs, and scores a hat trick in game five to win a Stanley Cup.”
Stone spoke to the group, expressing that the celebration of the team’s Stanley Cup victory exceeded his expectations.
“It’s a lot easier playing hockey in front of 20,000 than this — can confirm that,” Stone said.
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Stone said that it was an honor to speak on behalf of his teammates, the organization, and the city of Las Vegas.
“An amazing city, the entertainment capital of the world, I say that with all due respect to Delaware. Mr. President,” Stone said concluding his speech with, “Go Knights go.”
The Golden Knights presented the president with a hockey stick and a jersey emblazoned with the name Biden and the number 46.