The Vegas Golden Knights made waves before Game 1 of their first franchise playoff series with an absolutely incredible pregame show, and Twitter took notice. Now, some Golden Knights fans kindly informed me last time around that this is a season-long thing in Vegas, and that it was a spectacle all year, but it's a surreal thing to see every time I see it.
Here are a few samples of what we got on Thursday night before the puck dropped on the Golden Knights' second-round series with the visiting San Jose Sharks.
Another round of pregame festivities in Vegas. pic.twitter.com/mOFoPLlNsD
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) April 27, 2018
Pregame cosplay in Vegas pic.twitter.com/lSXu3EFxZd
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) April 27, 2018
That actor is the absolute man. He gets into it. And in turn, so do some of the fans.
I don’t care what anyone says I love the Golden Knights’ pregame show. It screams Vegas.
— CJ Woodling (@CJWoodling) April 27, 2018
I HOPE EVERYBODY WATCHED THE @GoldenKnights PREGAME FESTIVITIES I'M READY TO FIGHT EVERYTHING.
— Miller Lulow (@MLulow88) April 27, 2018
So happy to see @NBCSN FINALLY show our @GoldenKnights 's pregame!!!
— Sarah K (@SarahKompare) April 27, 2018
Hey @Andrew_Sinard - @GoldenKnights pregame is making your team’s pregame look like a backyard BBQ karaoke session.... #JustSaying #NHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/EVdNiSDvb1
— Tiffany Langer (@TLanger14) April 27, 2018
The Vegas Golden Knights pregame is possibly more entertaining than that actual game.
— Conor (@TheRealCP22) April 27, 2018
But serious #NHLPlayoffs thoughts: If you aren’t on the @GoldenKnights bandwagon, you crazy. I can’t even with this pregame show. Even @PredsNHL can’t compete at this point....
— Tiffany Langer (@TLanger14) April 27, 2018
Of course, like all (objectively) great things, it had its share of haters.
The pregame before the @GoldenKnights game was excruciating. Like Medieval Times without the chicken leg… or entertainment.
— Seth King (@setheking) April 27, 2018
Pregame show?
— Crispy (@cjbarresi75) April 27, 2018
Lets take the cheesiest Vegas acts and then make them worse: @GoldenKnights
This @GoldenKnights pregame intro is probably the worst/funniest thing I have ever seen
— Sajon (@sajon91) April 27, 2018
Vegas Golden Knights pregame show is like Medieval Times x Girls Show and I’m not NOT here for it. #PlayoffHockey
— Rebecca (@BeccaDubow) April 27, 2018
Pregame show for the @GoldenKnights....I can’t. No.
— Danielle Marchell (@ddmarchell) April 27, 2018
When it was all said and done, Lee Orchard, the Golden Knight himself, reached out on Twitter to let me know that he's having as much fun as the fans.
@SkiverK9 hey Kevin. Glad you enjoy the pre game show at vgk. I’ve been having so much fun doing it. Thanks for the great words. (I’m the golden knight btw!) go knights go
— DJBritlee (@LeeOrchard1) April 27, 2018
Hey, you can say whatever you want about the absurd spectacle, but it gets T-Mobile rocking, and it just oozes Vegas. The Golden Knights have done what everyone doubted and made Las Vegas care about something other than gambling. And even if their arena isn't shy on transplants, it's still predominately gold and black.
After they swept the Kings, the team only got more hype, so there's no question that the place is absolutely rocking. With the Knights jumping out all over the Sharks, the atmosphere in there is completely insane. I attribute part of that to the guy in the knight costume.