Stanley Cup Final: John Tortorella says Golden Knights will force a Game 7: 'I'm going to leave my clothes here'
The Vegas Golden Knights are leaving North Carolina in an unexpected position: Down 3-2 in the Stanley Cup Final. But Golden Knights coach John Tortorella knows his team will be back. And the only way they can do that, is to win Game 6 and force a Game 7.
Tortorella essentially guaranteed that would happen following the team’s 4-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5. After the contest, Tortorella told reporters he was going to “leave my clothes” in North Carolina, implying that he intends to return to the city for a Game 7.
Tortorella also said, “We’ll be back here,” another sign he expects to win Game 6.
A Game 7 would be exciting for hockey fans, but new territory for the Golden Knights. The team has yet to face a Game 7 during their playoff run this season, winning their first two series in six games before sweeping the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference finals.
During the team’s nine years of existence, it has played in four playoff series that have gone to a Game 7. The Golden Knights are 2-2 in those series. Notably, the team did not play in a single Game 7 during the 2022-23 season, when it won the Stanley Cup.
In order for the team to force a Game 7, it would need to win Game 6, of course. The Golden Knights will look to do that Sunday, when the Stanley Cup returns to Vegas one more time.
A win would send the Golden Knights back to North Carolina for Game 7, and would allow Tortorella to pick up the clothes he left behind.
