Panthers vs Golden Knights Stanley Cup Finals Game 5 Preview

By the end of Tuesday, we could have a new Stanley Cup champion. The Vegas Golden Knights have a commanding 3-1 series lead in the Finals against the Florida Panthers and will be motivated to close out their opponents at T-Mobile Arena. The puck is scheduled to drop at 8 PM ET. Vegas won Game 4 by a score of 3-2 and for the most part, have outplayed the Panthers in the series thus far.

Series Trends

The total in goals sits at six here. After the over was comfortably hit in the first two games of the series, the last two have gone under. Vegas, who was a road underdog in Game 4, has won 15 of 20 as an underdog in the regular season and playoffs combined. Florida is 8-2 ATS on the road in their last 10. 

Can Panthers Stay Alive?

The Panthers had their backs up against the wall to a certain extent when they were down 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Finals. But now, they’re officially in win-or-go-home mode. This isn’t anything new for Florida though, who overcame a 3-1 deficit in the first round of the playoffs against an absolutely fantastic team in the Boston Bruins. That being said, this is the Finals. Vegas isn’t going to let their foot off the gas pedal.

After a thrilling 3-2 win in Game 3 where Carter Verhaeghe scored a winner in overtime, the Panthers made things close on Saturday, too. However, it was too little too late. Paul Maurice’s squad allowed the Golden Knights to jump out to a 3-0 lead by the halfway mark of the second period. While they did score to make things close, it wasn’t enough.

Most NHL sportsbooks aren’t giving Florida much of a chance to win Game 5. I mean, it’s understandable given how dominant Vegas has truly looked. But, anything is possible with this Panthers team who have battled adversity all season long. Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe have to do their part Tuesday if the East champions are going to force a Game 6 back home at FLA Live Arena.

Vegas Can Smell Cup

It’s crazy to think this is already the Golden Knights’ second Stanley Cup appearance since becoming an NHL franchise in 2018, also advancing to the Finals that year before losing to the Washington Capitals. This time around though, it appears Vegas is destined to lift Lord Stanley.

To be frank, Bruce Cassidy’s group has been rather dominant in the series, especially in the first two games where they outscored Florida 12-4. The last two games ended 3-2. The stars for the Golden Knights continue to shine, most notably Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson, and Mark Stone. All three did their part in Game 4, with Stephenson scoring twice to set the tone for his team. Stone notched two assists while Marchessault also set one up.

It’s not a huge surprise to see Vegas as a -165 favorite at Bodog. After all, they’ve only lost three times at home in the playoffs and should have no shortage of motivation Tuesday because the last thing they want is to go out on the road with a 3-2 lead. That’s risky.