Vegas Golden Knights vs Florida Panthers Stanley Cup Final Preview: Knights Ready, Panthers Well Rested

2 Clubs Fought for the Right to Play in The Stanley Cup Final

Get This Party Started!

After eight grueling weeks of tense playoff action, we are finally down to two teams in the National Hockey League to battle in one more best-of-seven series, with the winner capturing Lord Stanley’s Cup. From the Western Conference, we have the Vegas Golden Knights and from the East, we have the Florida Panthers. Both clubs needed to win twelve games to reach this point, but they took different paths to arrive to this final series destination. Let’s take a full, in-depth look into this Stanley Cup Final series with this Golden Knights vs Panthers Stanley Cup Final Preview.

TALE OF THE TAPE

Vegas Golden Knights (12-5 Playoffs) 51-22-9 (111 Points)
Florida Panthers (12-4 Playoffs) 42-32-8 (92 Points)

Golden Knights: Home (25-15-1, 6-3 PS) Road (26-7-8, 6-2)
Panthers: Home (23-13-5, 5-3 PS) Road (19-19-3, 8-1 PS)

Head-to-Head Series in 22-23 Regular Season

March 7th, 2023: Florida 2. Vegas 1
FLA (home) -160/VGK (road) +145, Total: Under 6.5

January 12th, 2023: Vegas 4, Florida 2
VGK (home) -120/FLA (road) +105, Total: Under 6.5

Series Trends and Angles

  • Vegas is on a 9-3 SU run in their last twelve home games.
  • Florida is 0-5 in their last five meetings in Las Vegas and 2-7 in their last nine meetings overall against the Golden Knights.
  • Florida is on a 8-1 run to the Under in their last nine games overall.
  • The Favorite has won six of the last seven meetings overall

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

Top Four Scorers and Starting Goaltender:
Jack Eichel (6 Goals, 12 Assists, 18 Points, 59 SOG)
(Regular Season: 67 GP, 27 Goals, 39 Assists, 66 Pts)
Jonathan Marchessault
(9 Goals, 8 Assists, 17 Points, 62 SOG)
(Regular Season: 76 GP, 28 Goals, 29 Assists, 57 Pts)
Ivan Barbashev (6 Goals, 9 Assists, 15 Points, 24 SOG)
(Regular Season w/STL & VGK: 82 GP, 16 Goals, 29 Assists, 45 Pts)
Mark Stone (6 Goals, 9 Assists, 15 Points, 33 SOG)
(Regular Season: 43 GP, 17 Goals, 21 Assists, 38 Pts)

Adin Hill (9 Starts, 7-3, 2.07 G.A.A; .937 Sv%, 2 SO)
(Regular Season: 27 GP (25 starts), 25-16-7, 2.45 Goals-Against and a .915% Save Percentage)

The Vegas Golden Knights have become the shining example (pun intended) for expansion franchises in all Sports, with this club now winning their second ever Western Conference title in six years of existence, with the desert darlings looking to finish off the job this time around and head back to Sin City with the Stanley Cup.

The amazing goaltending of young Adin Hill has carried the club through their last two series, shutting down arguably the two best offenses left in the postseason after Boston and the New York Rangers saw early first round exits. The 26-year old Calgary native has gone 7-3 with a 2.07 goals-against average in 11 appearances this postseason.

Forwards Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault lead the way up front, along with offensive contributions from Ivan Barbashev, who came over in a Trade Deadline deal from the St. Louis Blues, and captain Mark Stone, who has played nicely after missing most of the season due to injuries. Veterans Alex Pietrangelo and Alec Martinez hold down things on the blue-line, along with Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore.

Florida Panthers

Top Four Scorers and Starting Goaltenders:
Matthew Tkachuk: 9 Goals, 12 Assists, 21 Points, 48 SOG
(Regular Season: 79 GP, 40 Goals, 69 Assists, 109 Pts)
Sam Reinhart: 7 Goals, 4 Assists, 11 Points, 36 SOG)
(Regular Season: 82 GP, 31 Goals, 36 Assists, 67 Pts)
Carter Verhaeghe: 6 Goals, 9 Assists, 15 Points, 43 SOG)
(Regular Season: 81 GP, 42 Goals, 31 Assists, 73 Pts)
Aleksander Barkov: 4 Goals, 10 Assists, 14 Points, 42 SOG
(Regular Season: 68 GP, 23 Goals, 55 Assists, 78 Pts)
Sergei Bobrovsky: 14 GP (13 starts) 11-2, 2.21 G.A.A; .935 Sv%
(Regular Season: 50 GP (49 starts) 24-20-3, 3.07 Goals-Against; .901% Save Percentage with one shutout)

The Cinderella Story continues in the Sunshine State as the Florida Panthers have done the unthinkable and won the Eastern Conference title for the second time in franchise history, with their first crown coming way back in 1996, when the team was just three seasons old.

Forward Matthew Tkachuk has launched himself into the “Superstar” category with his play during this postseason. With 21 points, he is the odds-on favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy for Stanley Cup Playoff Most Valuable Player. Along with wingers Carter Verhaeghe and Aleksander Barkov and veterans like Marc Staal and Radko Gudas playing their best hockey in seasons, if not their entire careers. And between the pipes, veteran Sergei Bobrovsky has been sensational since taking back the reigns during the series against the Bruins. The 34-year old Russian has won 11 of his last 13 starts and is another favored choice to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.

SERIES ODDS AND PROP PRICES (Prices Quoted from BetUS)

Vegas Golden Knights (Money Line to Win Series -120)
Florida Panthers (Money Line to Win Series +100)

Golden Knights win in 4 Games: +1000
Golden Knights win in 5 Games: +550
Golden Knights win in 6 Games: +500
Golden Knights win in 7 Games: +450

Panthers win in 4 Games: +1200
Panthers win in 5 Games: +800
Panthers win in 6 Games: +450
Panthers win in 7 Games: +500

Series Spread: VGK -1.5 Games +150/-180 FLA +1.5 Games
Series Spread: VGK -2.5 Games +325/-450 FLA +2.5 Games

Over/Under Total Games:
4.5 Games: (Over -1000/Under +600)
5.5 Games: (Over -200/Under +160)
6.5 Games: (Over +200/Under -260)

Exact Games Played:
4 Games: +600
5 Games: +250
6 Games: +200
7 Games: +200

Vegas Golden Knights Keys To Winning This Series

They will have to control the ice down the middle at both ends of the ice. Keep pressure in the high-danger chances to attack and challenge Bobrovsky.

Avoid taking costly penalties, especially when Florida looks to match the same intensity on the forecheck, if not try to exceed it. Vegas will have to play patient hockey at times to wear down the cycle game from the Panthers.

Florida Panthers Keys to Winning This Series

Continue to play with house money, be loose and free, but make sure to tap right into action as early as possible. That ten-day layoff could become an issue, but if Paul Maurice has his troops ready the same way they have been since the 3-1 series comeback against Boston, then energy and motivation should be no issue whatsoever.

Sergei Bobrovsky will have to continue to play career-best hockey in net to shut down a more potent and consistent offensive attack than Carolina or Toronto, previously.

Check out all the updated National Hockey League NHL Player Stats, standings, lineups, future odds, team stats, recent news, picks and parlays and betting tips, right here at Point Spreads.
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