\n<\/p>\n
Much is made about the Golden Knights\u2019 ability to come back in third periods. They outscored the opposition 108-61 in the final 20 minutes of games during the regular season, but that was just one aspect of the team\u2019s consistent inconsistencies.<\/p>\n
That was just one part of the emotional ride the fans went on.<\/p>\n
The Golden Knights hovered around .500 throughout the first 50 games (25-13-12). They lost the next five games, then won the final two before the Olympic Break.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach year is unique in its own way. This year, I think just the ups and downs we dealt with as a group,\u201d defenseman Noah Hanifin<\/a>\u00a0said. \u201cWhen you go on runs like this, you learn a lot about your group and yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n It was after the break, however, that the Golden Knights went into a free fall.<\/p>\n Vegas went 5-10-2 immediately after the Olympics, including a 1-4-2 run from March 17-29 that was the final straw. The Golden Knights fired coach Bruce Cassidy and brought in John Tortorella for the final eight games of the season.<\/p>\n Tortorella stabilized the team, and the Golden Knights averaged 4.13 goals per game and allowed an average of 1.88. It was a full goal better than the first 74 games of the season, where the Golden Knights averaged 3.12 goals per game and allowed 3.07.<\/p>\n Vegas won seven of its final eight games to go from potentially missing the postseason to winning the Pacific Division.<\/p>\n