The Florida Panthers have pulled one back. The Panthers defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, giving them their first victory in the Cup finals in their history. They relied on their physicality and top players to do so, but Vegas’ dominant victories in Games 1 and 2 should give the Panthers hopeful pause. The series continues with Game 4 tonight.
Stanley Cup Final Depending on Physicality
Bobrovsky is Back
Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has made the biggest individual contribution to Florida’s success in the playoffs up until this point, and he was once again phenomenal in Game 3. Bobrovsky looked shaky in the first two games and was pulled from the net in Game 2, leaving backup Alex Lyon to pick up the slack. But in Game 3, Bobrovsky returned to form with 25 saves on 27 shots for a save percentage of .926. Getting consistent play from him will be one of the biggest keys moving forward for Florida.
Mr. Playoffs Strikes Again
It’s one thing to score a lot of goals. It’s another to score them exactly when your team needs them. Matthew Tkachuk has been able to do both. Tkachuk scored the tying goal with 2:13 left in the game, his eleventh goal and 24th point of the playoffs. He’s now tied with Roope Hintz for the most points in the playoffs. Tkachuk has been excellent for the Panthers, supplying them with scoring whenever they are most desperate. However, he needs to stay on the ice to do so. Tkachuk has three game misconduct penalties through the first three games and was held off the ice for seventeen minutes in Game 3 while going through concussion protocols. He’ll need to be on his game, and on the ice, if Florida wants to head back to Vegas tied.
TKACHUK HAS TIED THE GAME WITH THE NET EMPTY 😱😱😱😱😱
THEY'RE GOING WILD IN FLORIDA pic.twitter.com/Z2MErLrY1e
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 9, 2023
It’s a Fight to the Finish
It’s been a physical start to the Finals. It was one of the biggest disparities between the two teams in the regular season. The Panthers had the second-most penalty minutes in the league in the regular season, while Vegas was the least penalized team. So far in the series, the penalties have continued to stack up, with Game 2 seeing 148 minutes, the second-most in a Stanley Cup Final game.
The Panthers have, so far, taken penalties that they don’t need to, including three game misconducts for Matthew Tkachuk. They were more under control in Game 3, allowing just sixteen penalty minutes, as compared to 84 in Game 2. Taking fewer penalties allowed them to keep their best players on the ice and pull out an overtime victory.
However, the tilt of the penalties has so far leaned in Vegas’ favour. They are 6-for-17 on the power play through three games, exceptional for a team that was sitting at 18.5% throughout the rest of the playoffs. They have yet to allow Florida a power-play goal, going a perfect 12-for-12. However, it was a man-up situation that led to Florida’s tying goal. With Bobrovsky on the bench, the Panthers sent out the extra skater and were able to set up Tkachuk. It’s the fourth time Vegas has allowed a goal with the net empty, tied for most in the playoffs.
Looking Ahead
Game 4 is a big one. A win for either team would dramatically increase either team’s odds. For Vegas, a 3-1 lead would mean an 89% chance to win the series, while heading back to Vegas 2-2 would bring Florida’s odds back to 50%. Each team will be playing hard, trying to fight to the finish and bring the ultimate prize home. Florida will have home ice, but Vegas would love to secure this one and be able to clinch on their home ice.
Main Photo: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
