What a journey it’s been for Comox’s very own Adin Hill.
Starting the season as the third-string goalie for the Vegas Golden Knights, he’s stunned the world by leading his team to the ultimate glory in hockey!
In Tuesday night’s Stanley Cup game, Hill showcased his skills by making an impressive 32 saves in a resounding 9-3 victory over the Florida Panthers.
“I kind of saw where the puck was and just tried to do anything I could to get a piece of something on it,” Hill said. “In situations like that, it’s just full-on desperation,” he told CBC News.
The Panthers had come out strong in the first period. Standing tall between the pipes, Hill made several crucial saves to preserve Vegas’ 2-0 lead.
But the Panthers were not ready to surrender. Two minutes into the second period, they cut the deficit in half with a deflected shot off a Vegas defender.
It was a brief moment of hope for Florida, but Vegas quickly turned the tide.
The Golden Knights unleashed a relentless barrage of shots, bombarding Sergei Bobrovsky with 14 attempts in the second period alone.
Their efforts resulted in four goals, granting them a commanding 6-1 lead heading into the final period.
With victory in sight, the atmosphere in Vegas intensified, and the crowd embraced party mode as they witnessed their team’s domination.
During the third period, after Hill fended off shot after shot, the crowd went ballistic, supporting his efforts chanting, “MVP! MVP!”
While he may have been MVP in their hearts, the trophy was ultimately awarded to Jonathan Marchessault. It was a well-deserved honour for his also exceptional performance.
But that doesn’t mean a trophy won’t make the rounds in the Valley!
With this win, Vegas secured the series 4-1! They won the Stanley Cup!
Hill has etched his name in the record books as the first goaltender in NHL history to win over ten games in the playoffs without playing in the first round.
“You dream about it every day growing up as a child,” Hill said. “To be here with this group of guys, in this city, in this building, is a dream come true.”
His incredible talent and determination have been pivotal in this historic achievement.
We hope that Hill will bring the Trophy home sometime soon.
