Panthers vs Golden Knights Preview: Game 2 Odds Steamed To Go ‘Over’

High Scoring Expected to Continue for Game 2

It was an explosive start to the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers. As the NHL odds expected, Vegas beat Florida 5-2. While Panthers vs Golden Knights previews hover around the same moneyline, the totals are gaining action on just one side. Folks are hammering the total to go ‘over’ 5.5 (-125) for Game 2, as Vegas and Florida could maintain their potent scoring.

Bobrovsky Can’t Do it Alone

Sergei Bobrovsky has been the toast of the town in Florida. He deserves to be the Conn Smythe favorite up to this point. His 11 wins and 500 saves are the most by a goaltender during these playoffs. And prior to Saturday’s loss, he was undefeated on the road: 7-0. He’s been a large part why the Panthers have slew the NHL playoff odds… until Vegas.

The four goals Bobrovsky gave up were the most since Game 6 against Boston. Florida still won that game as it scored four third-period goals. Bobrovsky’s stats may be due to regress now.

It’s not that “Bobs” is playing worse. It’s that Vegas is just much better at generating scoring chances and finishing them. Florida also gave Vegas the man advantage seven times. The Knights scored on two.

But the onus is not on Bobrovsky as much as it is on Florida to score more goals. The Panthers are 10-0 when it scores at least three goals. The scoreboard did not reflect it on Saturday. But Florida was right in the game and as most Panthers vs Golden Knights previews expected, it was a competitive back-and-forth.

“I hate to say that, but they had earned some really good opportunities,” Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy said on Florida’s offense. “They had generated some good looks.”

The Panthers had a hard time getting past Adin Hill who stopped all but two of their 35 shots on goal. They return as +115 underdogs this time and will need to do better than average one shot on net with each power play (PP).

Vegas Continues to Live on the Edge

Vegas won Game 1. But as their fans have been used to, it came with plenty of adversity. It was the ninth time Vegas fell behind a game only for it to rally and win. The Knights allowed a shorthanded goal in the first then entered the third period tied 2-2. From there, Zach Whitecloud and Mark Stone scored while Reilly Smith added an empty-netter.

The three third-period goals by Vegas pushed the total to go over. It’s the fourth time in the team’s last five home games. Overall, Vegas averages over 3.7 goals per game. Their five goals is the seventh time it’s scored that many in these playoffs. Most notably, Vegas scored more than one power play goal.

Heading to the Final, Vegas’s power play stood at 18.5 percent, one of the worst in the playoffs. The last time they scored a pair of PP goals came in Game 5 against Edmonton where they also had seven opportunities.

Vegas is already lethal on 5-on-5. Despite getting outshot and out possessed by Florida, for the most part, Vegas still racked up more scoring chances (26 vs 23) and high-danger chances (13 vs 9). If it continues to produce on the man advantage, the totals will keep going over as these Panthers vs Golden Knights previews expect.

Of course, if Hill keeps playing this way, then Vegas may not cover the total by itself. Hill still gave up two goals so all Vegas needed was four goals to go over the total. Should Bobrovsky play better, a lower-scoring game is plausible. After all, Vegas is supposedly a defensive team and it’s how it earned its place in the NHL standings.

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