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William Karlsson, the forward for the Vegas Golden Knights, experienced an unforgettable moment. It happened hours before the team's Game 5 against the Edmonton Oilers. Karlsson's wife, Emily, gave birth to their first child, a baby boy named Beckham, at 1:30 a.m. local time on Friday.
Despite being in the delivery room the entire time, Karlsson managed to assist in the 4-3 win against the Oilers. The victory gave the Golden Knights a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 series. He credited the experience of witnessing childbirth to being surreal and amazing, acknowledging the strength of women who go through it.
After landing on Thursday afternoon from Edmonton following Game 4, Karlsson went straight to the hospital to be with his wife. He stayed until 4 a.m. on Friday, when Emily told him to go home and get some rest. He managed to sleep for about eight hours before heading to the practice facility to grab food. Karlsson skipped the morning skate to get more rest and felt ready to play in Game 5.
Karlsson played a crucial role in the game, skating for almost 19 minutes, winning eight of 13 face-offs. He took four shots on goal, and assisted in Reilly Smith's power-play goal that gave Vegas a 3-2 lead in the second period.
He played a dominant third period, featuring a 68-second shift that pinned the Oilers into their defensive zone late in the game. He was also on the ice for the final 48 seconds, defending a 5-on-6 situation with Edmonton pushing for the tying goal that never came.
Karlsson's coach, Bruce Cassidy, attributed his excellent performance to running on adrenaline. Cassidy said that being a new dad translates to a positive mindset on the ice.
A look at William Karlsson's NHL career
William Karlsson was claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. Given a chance to have an expanded role with the NHL's newest team, Karlsson seized the opportunity and had a remarkable breakout season in 2017-18.
William Karlsson's offensive explosion was one of the most unexpected developments in recent NHL history. From six goals in 2016-17 to 43 in 2017-18, it was the third-biggest single-season jump in NHL history. Karlsson finished third in the NHL in goals and led the Golden Knights with 78 points, up from 19 in 2016-17.
But Karlsson didn't forget his defensive responsibilities; he led the NHL with a plus-49 rating. He also took six minor penalties in 82 games and won the Lady Byng Trophy, given for skillful and gentlemanly play.
In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, William Karlsson continued his impressive play, scoring seven goals and finishing with 15 points in 20 games. His performance helped the first-year Golden Knights advance to the Cup Final before losing to the Washington Capitals.
Although he didn't quite match those numbers in the following season, Karlsson still had a solid campaign with 24 goals and 56 points. He showed that his breakout season wasn't a fluke and that he could be a consistent scorer in the NHL.
William Karlsson's journey to the NHL began when he was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the 2011 NHL Draft. After playing 16 games for the Ducks, he was traded to the Blue Jackets in 2015.
Karlsson made his debut for Columbus on March 24th, 2015, and had an assist in a 5-3 win against the Ducks. He scored his first goal for Columbus four nights later against the St. Louis Blues.
