{"id":138142,"date":"2023-06-10T07:54:37","date_gmt":"2023-06-10T11:54:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=138142"},"modified":"2023-06-10T07:54:37","modified_gmt":"2023-06-10T11:54:37","slug":"stanley-cup-final-fight-finish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2023\/06\/10\/stanley-cup-final-fight-finish\/","title":{"rendered":"Stanley Cup Final Is A Fight To The Finish"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u2019 dominant victories in Games 1 and 2 should give the Panthers hopeful pause. The series continues with Game 4 tonight.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stanley Cup Final Depending on Physicality<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Bobrovsky is Back\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky<\/a> has made the biggest individual contribution to Florida\u2019s 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<\/a> to pick up the slack. But in Game 3, Bobrovsky returned to form<\/a> 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Playoffs Strikes Again\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s one thing to score a lot of goals. It\u2019s another to score them exactly when your team needs them. Matthew Tkachuk<\/a> has been able to do both<\/a>. Tkachuk scored the tying goal<\/a> with 2:13 left in the game, his eleventh goal and 24th point of the playoffs. He\u2019s now tied with Roope Hintz<\/a> 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\u2019ll need to be on his game, and on the ice, if Florida wants to head back to Vegas tied.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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TKACHUK HAS TIED THE GAME WITH THE NET EMPTY \ud83d\ude31\ud83d\ude31\ud83d\ude31\ud83d\ude31\ud83d\ude31<\/p>\n

THEY'RE GOING WILD IN FLORIDA https:\/\/t.co\/Z2MErLrY1e<\/a><\/p>\n

— B\/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 9, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n