Crouse's Playoff Journey: From Pain to Glory

0:00On April 29th, Lawson Krauss is back in the playoffs after a six-year drought, and man, it's a whole different vibe this time. His first postseason game hit back in 2020, right in the heart of that empty arena bubble due to the pandemic. No fans, just echoes on the ice, for the Arizona Coyotes. Fast forward, he's now a cornerstone for the Utah mammoth, leading their charge against the Vegas Golden Knights. After getting crushed early that year, the team kicked off a brutal five-year rebuild under new management. Plenty of players bail for contenders, but Krauss stay put, grinding through the losses alongside Clayton Keller. He jumps straight from juniors to the NHL, logging solid minutes and hitting 20-plus goals in his last three Coyote seasons. Teammates and coaches can't stop raving about his quiet leadership. Guys to steady hand in a young locker room full of rookies like Logan Cooley. Last year in Utah just 12 goals and even a healthy scratch, but he owned it, fixed his headspace and bounced back huge with. 24 goals and 44 points this season. In this playoff series, his top line struggled early,

1:04but Krauss called it out and delivered in game three two goals, including the game winner, tying. His entire 2020 playoff total right there. First time playing in front of family and friends with his wife and daughter cheering loud. Six years of pain built this core and Krauss' trust paid off big. He's playing his best hockey now, making the mammoth tougher in every way, ready to. Push deeper into the dance. That's the story for today. NHL News Today, driven by AI, I'm Cory with the story.