Golden Knights go from 200-1 to 6-1 to win Stanley Cup

By Brent Musburger Special to the Review-Journal

7 years ago

Golden Knights players celebrate after defeating the San Jose Sharks in an NHL hockey game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 31, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Golden Knights left wing Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (41) hugs Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) at the end of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 31, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Golden Knights fans celebrate a goal by center William Karlsson (71) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 31, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) celebrates his goal against the San Jose Sharks with Golden Knights center Cody Eakin (21) looks on during the third period of an NHL hockey game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 31, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) celebrates his goal against the San Jose Sharks as Golden Knights center Cody Eakin (21) looks on during the third period of an NHL hockey game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 31, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) celebrates his goal against the San Jose Sharks during the third period of an NHL hockey game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 31, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) score a goal against the San Jose Sharks during the third period of an NHL hockey game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 31, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Golden Knights center Jonathan Marchessault (81) looks to move the puck past San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (44) during the second period of an NHL hockey game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 31, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

A fan celebrates a goal by Golden Knights center Oscar Lindberg, not pictured, during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 31, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Golden Knights general manager George McPhee, from left, team owner Bill Foley and defenseman Deryk Engelland (5) watch as a banner is raised in honor of the victims of the Oct. 1 shooting before the start of an NHL hockey game between the Golden Knights and the San Jose Sharks at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 31, 2018. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

Vegas Golden Knights’ owner Bill Foley, second from right, and his wife Carol Johnson Foley, right, attend a watch party for the Vegas Golden Knights season opener against the Dallas Stars at Topgolf in Las Vegas, Friday, Oct. 6, 2017. Proceeds from t-shirt sales at the event went toward Nick Robone, an assistant hockey coach at UNLV, who was seriously wounded during Sunday night’s mass shooting. Joel Angel Juarez Las Vegas Review-Journal @jajuarezphoto

There is no doubt that the Golden Knights have lifted the spirits of this city in more ways than we can count.

The Golden Knights are the feel-good story of Las Vegas, the NHL and the entire sporting world.

A big round of applause for owner Bill Foley and the Golden Knights organization as they begin their quest for the Stanley Cup, which they are 6-1 to win. That’s a long way from 200-1 last fall.

Santa Anita Derby

Part of the beauty of horse racing rests with the characters behind the scenes. Take Mick Ruis. He is the owner and trainer of Kentucky Derby contender Bolt d’Oro. With Javier Castellano on the mount, Bolt d’Oro will be the favorite Saturday in the Santa Anita Derby.

Ruis is a high school dropout who worked his way up owning a scaffolding company in San Diego. He sold it to enter horse racing, but he went broke. He then built a bigger scaffolding empire and returned to racing with a ranch in Montana.

Bolt d’Oro was named after Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt and his sire, Medaglia d’Oro, and he was raised in Big Sky country. As the Beach Boys once sang, Bolt d’Oro gives me good vibrations Saturday at Santa Anita.

NFL draft odds

Are you looking forward to betting on the NFL draft? After the combine last month, there was a clear-cut favorite to become the No. 1 pick — Penn State running back Saquon Barkley. And he still might be the one.

You have to go back to 1995 to find a running back chosen No. 1 overall. That was Ki-Jana Carter, also a Penn State player, by the Cincinnati Bengals. Quarterbacks are clearly preferred, and the betting favorite is Southern California’s Sam Darnold. He is minus 400 to go No. 1.

Cleveland has the first pick, but long-shot players should remember that the Browns acquired veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor as a short-term solution. You can get a hefty price on North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb at plus 2000.

Bettors, you are on the clock.

More betting: Follow all of our sports betting coverage online at reviewjournal.com/betting and @RJ_Sports on Twitter.

Brent Musburger’s betting column appears Saturday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. His show on the Vegas Stats & Information Network can be heard on SiriusXM 204 and livestreamed at reviewjournal.com/vegas-stats-information-network.