The Vegas Golden Knights held an open practice at City National Arena in Summerlin on Monday, June 8. It was in front of a packed crowd of fans who got to look at the team ahead of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. 

Fans cheered loudly when all the players stepped onto the ice and broke into "Go, Knights Go" chants multiple times. It was during the 45-minute session, and some stayed after the main group left to watch extra skaters finish their practice. But for forward Keegan Kolesar, the moment carried real meaning. 

"It's really cool; it's a passionate fan base, it's a loyal fan base, and you know what? They've gone through a lot with us, and honestly, it's hard to say really how much it means," Kolesar explained.

Standing in front of a room full of fans who showed up just to watch the practice, Kolesar explained what the support has meant to the team throughout the playoff run.

Kolesar is a 28-year-old winger who has been part of the Golden Knights team since attending the franchise's first development camp in 2017. He has built a reputation for his strong presence on the fourth line. 

He has grown along with the team from its early days, long before it had a Stanley Cup to its name. That history made Monday's scene at City National Arena feel significant. 

The open practice sessions are what gave the Vegas fans the confidence to build one of the most compelling matches of the 2026 postseason.

Golden Knights' Run to the Stanley Cup Final

Vegas entered the playoffs as the Western Conference's fourth seed and played against the Utah Mammoth in six games in the first round. This was right before eliminating the Anaheim Ducks, who had knocked out the Edmonton Oilers also in six. 

The big moment came in the conference finals, where the Golden Knights won against the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in four straight games.

Vegas leads the NHL with a high difference in goals in this postseason with 34, and forward Pavel Dorofeyev made a tie for the league lead in overall playoff goals of 10. 

In the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas won Game 1 by a score of 5-4 but lost Game 2 in overtime 4-3. They then again won Game 3 in double overtime, 5-4, to take a 2-1 series lead. 

Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip. The Golden Knights are two games away from their second Stanley Cup win. 

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Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Ankita Yadav