- What: Vegas Golden Knights vs Florida Panthers - Stanley Cup Finals Game 3
- Where: FLA Live Arena
- When: Thursday, June 8th
The Vegas Golden Knights are in cruise control in the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals as they take a 2-0 series lead on the road against the Florida Panthers on Thursday, June 8th at FLA Live Arena. The puck is scheduled to drop at 8 PM ET. Vegas has essentially dominated to this point, winning Game 2 by a score of 7-2. In fact, they've outscored their opposition 12-4 thus far. Below, find the Golden Knights vs Panthers Game 3 picks.
Before we get into the odds and prediction for this contest, make sure to check out our online sportsbook reviews, and the top NHL betting sites.
Golden Knights vs Panthers Game 3 Odds
Surprisingly, the Panthers are actually the favorite here. They sit at -119 odds for an implied win probability of 54.34%. The Golden Knights come back at +108 and have a 48.08% chance of coming out victorious. Florida has only lost three times in these playoffs at home, which is likely why the sportsbooks are picking them to bounce back in Game 3.
Golden Knights Sitting Pretty
While Vegas does technically need two more wins to lift the Cup, they will be happy at the moment. Grabbing two victories at home is a best-case scenario for any team in the playoffs. In fact, the Golden Knights truly had their way with Florida. Game 1 was a 5-2 comeback win before throttling the Panthers 7-2 on Monday evening in front of their fans.
This matchup was basically over before it even started. By the end of the first period, Vegas had already gone up 2-0 and after 40 minutes, they were up 4-0. Jonathan Marchessault, Alec Martinez, Nicolas Roy, and Brett Howden all found the back of the net. Howden added another in the third and so did Marchessault, who is easily their best player in the playoffs.
The 32-year-old is up to three goals and one assist already in the Stanley Cup Finals. Florida hasn't been able to slow him down. In net, Adin Hill continued to impress with 29 saves. He's proven to be extremely reliable.
The Golden Knights now have the opportunity to take a 3-0 series lead on Thursday and basically put the Cup out of reach for Florida. Considering how much better they've looked than the Eastern Conference winners in the Finals, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Vegas win another one. The confidence is sky-high right now. Oh, Bruce Cassidy's group has only lost twice in the postseason on the road, too. That's a promising sign.
Panthers Have Their Backs up Against Wall
Okay, Florida isn't totally down and out yet. I mean, it's just 2-0 in the series. But against a team like Vegas, it's going to be very difficult to come back. The Golden Knights are just downright outplaying them in the Finals. The momentum has to shift.
The Panthers' electrifying offense is looking rather quiet so far through two contests. Matthew Tkachuk has one point, while Carter Verhaeghe is essentially doing nothing. These two are the best players for Florida in the playoffs and must make more of an impact. It's that simple.
Paul Maurice's squad was poor in Game 1 and it wasn't any different in Game 2. They came out flat and were facing a 2-0 hole by the end of the first. Sergei Bobrovsky struggled in between the posts and was chased after allowing four goals on just 13 shots. It's been a rough series for the netminder. Alex Lyon didn't fare much better, conceding three more in the third period.
Tkachuk scored his first goal of the Finals while Anton Lundell also hit the back of the net. This was a very physical game for the Panthers, who had 44 hits to just 24 for Vegas. That being said, they're getting into too much penalty trouble. There were seven of them in the series opener before another four on Monday. The Golden Knights have scored four times with the man advantage. Florida needs to smarten up and stay out of the penalty box because it's hurting them.
As previously mentioned, Florida has only dropped three games at home in the postseason. Playing in front of the Panthers faithful should light a fire under them. It better, or else Maurice's group is looking at a clean sweep in the Stanley Cup. That would be a brutal way to end their improbable run.
Golden Knights vs Panthers Game 3 Picks
I just have a hard time siding with Florida. Even if Marchessault slows down, Jack Eichel and Mark Stone can step up and produce offensively. To me, this Vegas team is just too deep and the Panthers haven't proved they can contain them. I'm liking the Golden Knights moneyline again.
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