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Everybody Thought The Golden Knights Would Struggle; What Now?

Vegas Golden Knights players hug after a 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks during Game 6 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 6, 2018, in San Jose, Calif.
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Vegas Golden Knights players hug after a 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks during Game 6 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 6, 2018, in San Jose, Calif.

When the Vegas Golden Knights held their expansion draft, sportswriters weren't too impressed.

Many thought the new team would finish near the bottom of the NHL's standings.

Mitch Moss told us the team would struggle to win 30 games this season, and some, including sports website Deadspin, opined the team would be flat-out " bad."

Is it time to eat crow?

Mitch Moss (left) talks with Joe Schoenmann while producer Casey Morell (right) looks on at City National Arena/Photos by Chris Smith/Desert Companion 

“I was dead wrong – absolutely,” Moss said. 

He also offered to eat crow as long as it had hot sauce on it.

Moss said that a lot of great sports stories only have a month or two of life. For instance, remember Linsanity from a few years ago, where Jeremy Lin took over the New York Knicks? 

His story wowed the nation but it only lasted a month.

The Golden Knights, on the other hand, are seven months and still going.

"I've been saying for a couple of months that it is absolutely one of the best sports stories that I can ever remember," he said.

However, Moss admits that the Knights are about to go into one of their toughest series yet. 

"[Winnipeg] was one of the best teams in hockey all year at home," he said. "It is a tough spot to play [...] Winnipeg is going to be a tough out. They are a tough hockey team."

However, the Knights have something the Jets don't: Marc-Andre Fleury.

"Their offense and their goal scoring have been great, but Marc-Andre Fleury is now maybe playing the best hockey he's played the entire year," he said.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, right, gloves the puck next to San Jose Sharks' Kevin Labanc, center, and Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) during the second period of Game 6 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series Sunday, May 6, 2018, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Four-legged fan, Bark-André Furry,  made an appearance at practice/Photo by: Chris Smith/Desert Companion

At the beginning of the season, Moss made some bets against the Golden Knights, but no longer. The series in Winnipeg might be tough -- but this time, he's not betting against Las Vegas' team. 

(Editor's note: This story originally aired May 2018)

Mitch Moss, VSIN

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Joe Schoenmann joined Nevada Public Radio in 2014. He works with a talented team of producers at State of Nevada who explore the casino industry, sports, politics, public health and everything in between.
Casey Morell is the coordinating producer of Nevada Public Radio's flagship broadcast State of Nevada and one of the station's midday newscast announcers. (He's also been interviewed by Jimmy Fallon, whatever that's worth.)