Cole Smith's third-period goal lifted the Vegas Golden Knights to a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, completing a four-game sweep of the Western Conference Final. The win sends Vegas to the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in franchise history, toppling the Presidents' Trophy champions who entered as the league's top seed.

Mark Stone added a goal for the Golden Knights, while Gabriel Landeskog scored Colorado's lone tally in the third period. Vegas withstood a late push from the Avalanche to advance, demonstrating the resilience that has defined their playoff run under interim coach John Tortorella.

Just two months ago, Vegas faced elimination from playoff contention before firing coach Bruce Cassidy with eight games remaining. Tortorella took over and guided the team to a 7-0-1 finish to close the regular season, followed by series wins over Utah and Anaheim before dispatching Colorado.

The Golden Knights will now face either the Carolina Hurricanes or Montreal Canadiens for the championship. Tortorella emphasized the team's collective effort, stating the group dynamic has kept them united throughout their remarkable turnaround.