In a season of firsts and “never befores”, the Vegas Golden Knights are rewriting the history books for expansion franchises.
On Sunday night, the Knights moved a step closer to advancing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings.
“We’re very happy to be 3-0. Did I expect it? I don’t know,” Vegas head coach Gerard 
Gallant said. “We take it one at a time, and we’ve played some good hockey.”
No expansion team has ever won its first three games in the playoffs.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 37 saves to get the win.
“We’ve played the same way all year. We roll four lines, and we try to create situations that’s going to end up into offensive chances and playing the right way all game,” the Knights’ David Perron said after the game.
Down 1-0 in the third period, the Knights scored three straight goals by Cody Eakin, James Neal and William Karlsson.
“I think when you do the right things, if you’re finishing your checks, you’re playing well defensively, the goals will come,” Neal said. “I’ve been in enough of those games, I feel like if you stick with it, you’ll get your chance.”
Alex Iafallo scored for the Kings in the opening frame and LA held that slim lead until the third period.
“We knew they were going to come out and bring everything they had in that first period, and they definitely did,” Gallant said. “They probably should have been up more than one goal.”
Anze Kopitar also scored for the Kings, late in the third.
“All the experience and veterans in this locker room, they’ve been through it all. They have been helping us young guys throughout the whole way. Believe in them and believe in ourselves, and we’ll be fine,” Iafallo said after the loss.
[WATCH: All Golden Knights vs. Kings highlights | Complete Golden Knights vs. Kings series coverage]
Jonathan Quick made 23 saves in the loss.
“First goal came from a stalled puck off the forecheck where we got beat on the wall. Second goal came from a play we got beat off the wall,” Los Angeles head coach John Stevens said. “It’s unfortunate. I thought we made a good push here tonight, created a lot more zone time, and made Fleury work a little harder than he had to this point in the series, but had some critical errors at critical times along the wall ended up costing us.”
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