It has been 76 years since an NHL team has done what the Golden Knights must now do to win the Stanley Cup.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were the last team to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the Stanley Cup Final and they did it in 1942 when the league only had 7 teams.
In 2018, the league's newest franchise faces long odds to win 3 straight against the Washington Capitals.Game 5 is Thursday night in Las Vegas. The Golden Knights players are very aware of what's at stake and the odds standing in their way.
"If you'd have told these guys at the beginning of the year that they could win 3 straight games to win the Stanley Cup they'd be pretty happy about it," said Reilly Smith.
While history and the odds are not in Vegas' favor, the Capitals have proven to be a team that can't hold a 3-1 series lead. 5 times Washington has blown that lead in the playoffs – more than any other team in the NHL.
Golden Knights fans are trying to not let their nerves get to them ahead of Game 5, "I feel a little nervous but I'm absolutely confident in our boys to win the game," said Nicole Luscombe.
She's also very familiar with Washington's capacity to blow a 3-1 lead, "I've seen this same D.C. team with the same head coach go up 3-1 against the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals and lose 4-3."