Cup Final Notebook: May 26

With two days until the first game of the Stanley Cup Final, the Vegas Golden Knights locker room is buzzing with excitement, but two veteran players are a calming presence.
Forward James Neal and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury both played in the Stanley Cup Final last season, with the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins, respectively, and are ensuring their teammates recognize how special this run is, while still staying focused on the ice.
Their teammates have noticed.
"They stay calm," said forward William Karlsson. "They don't get riled up. I don't really ask them too much, but just having them around is sort of a calming feeling."

While Karlsson isn't pestering them too much for stories from finals past, Fleury said it's a mixture of answering questions and simply sharing when he feels it's right.
It's Fleury's fifth Stanley Cup Final and third in a row.
"It depends on the guys," Fleury said. "Sometimes it's fun to share stories. That's what it's about this time of year, just want to make sure people realize a lot of guys play for many years and never make it to the Final."
Neal said he thinks the experience does help with the little details, but it's also important to not treat the actual games like anything other than a hockey game.
"It's the experiences of the ups and downs," he said. "That being said, this is a whole new series, whole new team. We've done a good job of staying in the moment. We've stayed really levelheaded and don't expect us to change that.
"It'll be a tough series, we just need to focus on our first four shifts and go from there."
Head Coach Gerard Gallant is happy to have the two Stanley Cup Final veterans on the bench and in the locker room and knows how the presence can impact the team at this time of year.
"The more experience you have the better off you are," Gallant said. "Those guys have been there and done that. It's important for our group. They help our young players out."
Neal is also happy to be heading into this year's Stanley Cup Final healthy. Despite playing in all six Stanley Cup Final games for Nashville last year against Pittsburgh, he had suffered a broken hand in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final.
Now not only healthy, he and the rest of the Golden Knights will be coming off more than a week of rest.
"The rest we've gotten is the rest we've worked for," Neal said. "Take some days off, get back to 100 percent and get at it in practice."
CARRIER SKATING
Will Carrier was back on the ice with the team at Saturday's practice.
It was the first practice with the team since an injury in Game 5 of the second round series against San Jose. Gallant expects Carrier to be available in the Stanley Cup Final.
"I expect yes, but I don't know when," he said. "He skated the last couple of days and is feeling better. We'll take it one game at a time and see where we're at.
Carrier played in all nine playoff games this season before the injury against the Sharks, tallying 11 shots. He also is third on the team in hits in the playoffs with 52, behind Cody Eakin and Brayden McNabb.
Whether it's Carrier coming back to the lineup or another player who hasn't played in a in many of the playoff games, Gallant knows they'll be ready for the ice time.
"They keep themselves ready, they're professionals," Gallant said. "They work hard. We have 20 players we dress and when guys aren't playing, when they get the opportunity they jump in and play real well for us."
CELINE DION
Celine Dion rocked a Marc-Andre Fleury jersey during her concert at the Caesars Palace Colosseum Tuesday night.
Fleury took notice, even without the help of friends sending him pictures - though many did.
"She's such a legend worldwide," Fleury said, "but obviously she's French Canadian. It means a lot."
FULL CAPACITY
The Golden Knights had another packed house at City National Arena on Saturday afternoon. As a reminder, due to safety concerns related to overcapacity, attendance at all Vegas Golden Knights practices will now be limited to a first-come, first-admitted basis. Once the capacity is reached, fans will no longer be admitted inside the City National Arena Summerlin Hospital Rink where the Golden Knights practice. This takes place effective immediately. Practices will remain free (no cost for fans to attend).