LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The Vegas Golden Knights visited the White House on Monday to celebrate their 2023 Stanley Cup championship.

The team brought the Stanley Cup as they met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in the East Room.

The Golden Knights defeated the Florida Panthers in five games to win the title last season. Visiting the White House is a tradition for teams that win major sports championships, and Vegas is in Washington D.C. to face the Capitols on Tuesday.

Reilly Smith, who was a member of the championship roster and is currently with Pittsburgh, joined the team for the celebration. U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, also posed for photos with the team after Biden's remarks.

While welcoming the Golden Knights, Biden applauded the team's quick ascent from expansion franchise to Stanley Cup winners and their constant work in the valley.

"You're proving Vegas sports is one of the best shows in town, but you're also proving something else about sports," the president said. "Like all great franchises, you give back. You give back to the community."

He highlighted their community work in light of the One October mass shooting, praising the players, coaches and staffers for supporting victims and first responders over the last six years.

"You also held an entire city together," Biden said.

Mark Stone, the team captain, thanked the president for the honor and joked that speaking at the White House was more nerve-wracking than a game.

"It's a lot easier playing hockey in front of 20,000," Stone said with a laugh. "Can confirm that."

During the appearance, Stone and team president George McPhee presented Biden with a No. 46 Golden Knights jersey and a special golden hockey stick to mark the occasion.

They aren't the first team from the valley to make the trip to the nation's capital this year. The Las Vegas Aces visited the White House back in August to celebrate their 2022 WNBA championship with Harris, and they will return next year for their 2023 title.