Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers to Face Off in NHL Playoffs Finals

LAS VEGAS – The overseas hockey NHL will have a new champion. The Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers made it to the finals of the playoffs for the second time in history, while their previous attempts to win the trophy were not successful.

The final series will start on Sunday night at 2:00 CEST in the T-Mobile Arena, the home stand of the “Golden Knights”.

An underestimated team became a recognized team

The Golden Knights advanced to the finals for the first time in their premier pro league season 2017/2018, when they fell short of the Washington Capitals (1:4 in games). Since then, the underestimated team with the nickname “Golden Misfits” has become a recognized team, which is among the wider circle of favorites to win the championship cup every year.

This year, the Knights won the Pacific Division and the entire Western Conference in the regular season, so they entered the playoffs as the highest seeded team. In the first round, they eliminated Winnipeg (4:1 for matches), in the second Edmonton with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl (4:2) and in the conference finals they also defeated Dallas (4:2), ending the series with a resounding 6:0 triumph.

The team is led by experienced leaders led by captain Mark Stone and defender Alex Pietrangel, its core also includes William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith, who have been with the team since the beginning, when the club chose them six years ago in the expansion draft. Defenders Brayden McNabb, Shea Theodore and forward William Carrier also experienced their premier year.

Six Vegas players have already won the cup with other teams – Alec Martinez in Los Angeles Kings jersey (2012 and 2014), Pietrangelo (St. Louis Blues, 2019), Jonathan Quick (LA Kings, 2012 and 2014), Ivan Barbashov (Blues, 2019 ), Phil Kessel (Pittsburgh Penguins, 2016 and 2017) and Chandler Stephenson (Washington Capitals, 2018).

“I believe this will be our advantage. These players have already experienced success and now they are enjoying special moments again.” said coach Bruce Cassidy, hinting at a possible recipe for triumph: “It’s going to be important that we don’t rush into the offense. That’s what kills you against a team like Florida.”

Jack Eichel feels a great hunger for success, the elite American center did not get a chance to play in the playoffs during his time in Buffalo, now in his first participation in the elimination round he has the opportunity to reach the very top.

“It’s an opportunity you want. Everyone wants to play in the Stanley Cup Finals and have a chance to compete for the title. I’m excited to be a part of this group of players and this great organization. It’s not easy to get here, you have to play well hockey at the right time,” Eichel, who arrived in Vegas in November 2021, told nhl.com.

With 18 points (6+12) in 17 duels, he is currently the team’s most productive player in the playoffs. Adin Hill is also an interesting figure, who entered the season only as the fourth goalkeeper in the club’s hierarchy. After Robin Lehner announced that he would miss the entire 2022/2023 season after hip surgery, the team also suffered injuries to two more goalkeepers – Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit during the playoffs.

Hill was given a chance, which he took for a drive. He led his team to seven wins in the playoffs, maintaining a 93.7 percent shooting percentage and an average of 2.07 goals per game.

The greatest outsiders reach for the greatest grail

The disadvantage of the Panthers may be that they had up to a ten-day break before the finals, five days longer than Vegas. In the first match, they must first shake off the “rust”. However, “Panthers” have already learned to face much more demanding challenges.

After an unsuccessful start to the season, they had to fight hard to even get to the playoffs. In the end, they narrowly succeeded, grabbing the second wildcard in the Eastern Conference, finishing just one point ahead of ninth-ranked Pittsburgh. They then performed a sleepy ride in the elimination round.

As the eighth-seeded team, they first knocked out regular season champion and President’s Trophy holder Boston in seven games, then in the 2nd round they dealt with ambitious Toronto (4:1 in games) and in the conference finals they only needed four games to pass Carolina.

They thus imitated Florida’s success from the 1995/96 season, when the team around Scott Mellanby, Rob Niedermayer, John Vanbiesbrouck and Slovakian defender Róbert Švehla also reached the Stanley Cup finals. At that time, he was not enough against Colorado, to whom he lost in four duels.

This man can decide

The main driver of the current team from Sunrise is Matt Tkachuk. The American winger came to Florida before this season in a mega trade for Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weeger and a 1st round draft pick.

From the first day on the team, he became its main offensive leader, and in the regular season he played the lion’s share in the fact that the Panthers slipped into the playoffs at the last moment. In it, he then became a hero several times, pulling the team together in tense moments and deciding on a triumph.

He has four game-winning goals, including three in overtime. With 21 points (9+12) in 16 games, he is the second most productive player in the playoffs behind Dallas’ Roop Hintz (10+14) and one of the most serious candidates to win the Conn Smythe Trophy for the most valuable player of the playoffs. Tkachuk is happy with hockey and claims that his team has nothing to lose in the finals: “We are completely relaxed and enjoying this time. That’s how teams that nobody expected much feel.”

Florida coach Paul Maurice will also rely on captain Aleksandar Barkov, goals from forwards Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett and a solid defense led by Brandon Montour, Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling in the finals.

At the back, everything will depend on the goalkeeper Sergej Bobrovski, who improved his form in an amazing way in the playoffs and held the team in the most difficult moments. He won 11 out of 14 games, recording a 93.5 percent hit rate and reducing his goals conceded average to 2.21.

However, Maurice highlights the team’s high work ethic more than individuality. “Working hard and having fun playing hockey – these are the basic rules. These have been our credo since the first days of the September camp. It was difficult to prepare the team to work as hard as it is now. The first five days of the camp were difficult, but since then the team he didn’t stop. The players are working hard, but at the same time they are having fun and joking. In the dressing room, everyone is relaxed and there is a great mood.” Maurice revealed.

No hockey bastions

Vegas players definitely don’t want to underestimate Florida. “In many ways, they remind me of our team when we first participated in the finals, when nobody counted on us. They have a fantastic squad, including the goalkeeper. It will be a good series, I can’t wait for the matches against them.” said Vegas striker Jonathan Marchessault about the final opponent.

The finals are not traditional hockey strongholds, but two teams from the “Sun Belt”. While the silver hockey grail will be fought in the halls, outside temperatures can be over 30 degrees Celsius. Florida is experiencing a sports boom, it will experience the NHL and NBA finals at the same time. In the professional basketball league, the Miami Heat will fight for the title with the Denver Nuggets.

Stanley Cup Final Series Schedule:

1st match: Vegas – Florida /Sunday, June 4 at 2:00 CEST/
2nd match: Vegas – Florida /Tuesday, June 6 at 2:00 CEST/
3rd match: Florida – Vegas /Friday, June 9 at 2:00 CEST/
4th match: Florida – Vegas /Sunday, June 11 at 2:00 CEST/
possible 5th match: Vegas – Florida /Wednesday, June 14 at 2:00 CEST/
possible 6th match: Florida – Vegas /Saturday, June 17 at 2:00 CEST/
possible 7th match: Vegas – Florida /Tuesday, June 20 at 2:00 CEST/

• Author: © List
• Source: TASR