- What: Florida Panthers vs Vegas Golden Knights - Stanley Cup Finals Game 5
- Where: T-Mobile Arena
- When: Tuesday, June 13th
The 2023 Stanley Cup Finals can officially come to a close on Tuesday night as the Vegas Golden Knights have the chance to win their first-ever Stanley Cup. They currently have a 3-1 lead in this best-of-seven series against the Florida Panthers and can lift the grand prize in front of their home fans. The puck drop is scheduled for 8 PM ET at T-Mobile Arena. Vegas won a nailbiter in Game 4 on Saturday by a score of 3-2 but for the most part, has outplayed Florida, especially earlier in the series with boatloads of goals. Keep reading for the Panthers vs Golden Knights Game 5 picks.
Before we get into the odds and prediction for this pivotal contest, make sure to check out our online sportsbook reviews, and the top NHL betting sites.
Panthers vs Golden Knights Odds
Vegas is the clear favorite at home Tuesday with -165 odds for an implied win probability of 62.26%. The Panthers come back at +145 and have a 40.82% chance of taking Game 5. The total is set at just 5.5 goals after the last two games ended with 3-2 scorelines. There could be some value with the under come Tuesday.
Can Florida Stay Alive?
Boy, what a ride it's been for the Panthers. Getting to the Stanley Cup was an accomplishment in itself after barely squeaking into the playoffs in the first place. But despite knocking off the Bruins, Maple Leafs, and Hurricanes previously, the Golden Knights are proving to be too much for Paul Maurice's squad.
Florida was completely outplayed through the first two games of the series before snatching a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 3 at home courtesy of a Carter Verhaeghe winner. Unfortunately, they couldn't replicate that success on Saturday and now sit in a 3-1 hole against a very good team.
The Panthers nearly completed the comeback in Game 4, but it was too little too late. They went down 3-0 by the mid-way mark of the second period on home ice. Brandon Montour scored just before the second concluded before Aleksander Barkov also found the back of the net early in the third period. That was it though as Golden Knights' strong blueline held their own.
Facing a 3-1 deficit is nothing new for Florida. I mean, Boston was on the brink of eliminating the Panthers and they ultimately came back and won three in a row. Although it's not totally impossible, Maurice's group has a very difficult road ahead. For now, the focus will be on extending this series at least one more game with a victory on Tuesday evening in Sin City.
Vegas on The Brink of First Cup
Seems fitting, right? The Golden Knights were the best team in the Western Conference in 2022-23. It only feels right they're on the brink of lifting Lord Stanley. This is their second time in the Finals since the franchise came into existence back in 2018, the same year Vegas actually made the Cup Finals, losing to Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.
The big guns continue to produce in this series for Bruce Cassidy's team. Jonathan Marchessault is up to 24 points in these playoffs to lead the way, while Jack Eichel has 23 and Mark Stone has 21. In fact, nine players in total have notched at least 10 points in the series.
In Game 4, Chandler Stephenson played the hero. The center had the first two goals to quickly set the tone. William Karlsson added the third, with Marchessault assisting. Oh, and Stone notched two assists as well. As you can see, the core of the Vegas roster is getting it done each and every night. That's a big reason the Golden Knights are about to win their first Cup.
Also, Vegas has only lost three times in the postseason at home. Knowing they have to head back to Florida for a potential Game 6, you better believe the Golden Knights will be motivated as ever to finish the Panthers on Tuesday in front of the Vegas faithful.
Panthers vs Golden Knights Game 5 Picks
Florida has cleaned up their act and made this series a lot more interesting in Games 3 and 4. But, that doesn't hide the fact they're still down 3-1. Going into Vegas and winning isn't going to be easy and unfortunately, I just don't see it happening. Expect the Golden Knights to win on Tuesday and become the 2023 Stanley Cup champions.
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