The Vegas Golden Knights are back in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since the franchise’s magical inaugural run that ended three wins shy of the organization’s ultimate goal.
Owner Bill Foley predicted that the Golden Knights would carve their names on the greatest trophy in sports by the time the franchise turned six years old. The Golden Knights are four wins away from fulfilling that prophecy.
They will have to go through a Florida Panthers club that is in the middle of a Cinderella run of its own. This is the Panthers’ first Stanley Cup appearance since 1996, when they were swept by the Colorado Avalanche.
Interestingly, there are several similarities between the 2023 Panthers and the 2018 Washington Capitals, Vegas’ dance partner in Year 1.
Like the Capitals, the Panthers were hot and cold during the regular season but are playing their best hockey when it matters most.
Florida also is riding the stellar play of a goaltender that did not start the postseason as the team’s No. 1 netminder.
Both clubs relied on the clutch play and emotional leadership of a high-scoring winger, with Alex Ovechkin leading the way for the Capitals and Matthew Tkachuk proving he was worth every penny of his $76 million offseason splurge.
Plus, the Panthers are coming off a disappointing finish as the 2021-22 Presidents’ Trophy winners and have exceeded expectations in their follow-up campaign by reaching the Final, just like the Capitals in 2018.
Of course, there are plenty of differences, too many to enumerate.
But when comparing the two teams left standing in 2023, things get interesting.
These two clubs have been on quite a run throughout the playoffs despite taking very different paths to reach the second season. The Golden Knights (51-22-9) finished first in the Western Conference, while the Panthers (42-32-8) had to fight to the end just to get in as the second wildcard team. Either way, the 19 points between the two in the regular season are meaningless now.
But both teams are under the guidance of a first-year head coach who has found great success. Both teams have not trailed in a series since the first round. Both teams are getting contributions from throughout the lineup. Both teams have won multiple games in overtime. Both teams are getting spectacular goaltending. Both teams rely on a heavy forecheck. Both teams have yet to win a Stanley Cup in franchise history. Both teams have players who have won it before and players who have never been this far. And so on and so forth.
The Golden Knights, who will have home-ice advantage for the fourth round in a row, are 6-3-1 against Florida in the all-time matchup. This is the first time these teams have met in the postseason.
At the end of the day, the series between the West’s No. 1 seed and the East’s No. 8 seed will be much more competitive than the rankings indicate. These are two teams that have gone on impressive runs and that have every intention of finishing the job.
The only thing standing in their way is each other.
How they got here: Panthers
The Panthers pulled off one of the biggest upsets in NHL history when they fought back from a 3-1 deficit and eliminated the Cup-favorite Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round.
After watching the videos of Toronto fans chanting “we want Florida,” the Panthers took out the Maple Leafs in five games. Florida jumped out to a 3-0 series lead, lost a close 2-1 game in Game 4 but then took care of business with an overtime win in Game 5.
In the third round, the Panthers truly hit their stride, sweeping the Carolina Hurricanes in dominant fashion. Two of the four games went to overtime – including Game 1, which reached quadruple overtime – and Tkachuk scored three game-winning goals in the series, including the series clincher with under five seconds remaining in the third period of Game 4.
The Panthers have won 11 of their last 12 games and have gotten insanely clutch performances from Tkachuk and Sergei Bobrovsky, who is playing the best hockey of his career.
How they got here: Golden Knights
In the first round, Vegas dispatched the Winnipeg Jets in five games, winning four straight after dropping Game 1. The Golden Knights were the only team to limit their first-round series to five games. Mark Stone’s resurgence after a difficult outing in Game 1 helped the Golden Knights turn the tide in the series, and Vegas’ Game 3 double-overtime win after a third-period collapse preserved Vegas’ momentum. The Golden Knights benefited from secondary scoring and got strong goaltending from “backup” Laurent Brossoit. Vegas went 2-0 in Winnipeg and had a particularly dominant showing in its Game 5 elimination effort, a 4-1 decision.
The Golden Knights struggled against Edmonton’s lethal power play in the second round but eventually made adjustments on the penalty kill that limited the Oilers’ superstar players. Vegas was the better team at 5-on-5, and Adin Hill provided stellar netminding after stepping in for the injured Brossoit. Jack Eichel had a particularly effective series, both defensively as well as offensively, as he and his linemates teamed up for 23 points in the matchup. William Karlsson kept Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl off the scoresheet at 5-on-5, and Jonathan Marchessault’s second-period natural hat trick – along with 38 straight stops by Hill – propelled the Golden Knights to the series-clinching victory in Game 6. The Misfits – Marchessault, Karlsson and Reilly Smith – accounted for all five goals as the Golden Knights took out the Oilers en route to their fourth Conference Final appearance in six seasons.
The Golden Knights jumped out to a 3-0 series lead against the Dallas Stars thanks to two quick overtime wins and a dominant showing in Game 3 after Jamie Benn’s reckless decision helped the Golden Knights take control of the series. Dallas stormed back with two hard-fought wins, including Game 4’s 3-2 overtime victory. However, with the pressure mounting and as Benn returned from a two-game suspension, the Golden Knights annihilated the Stars in Game 6, closing out former bench boss Pete DeBoer in six games with a statement win on the road.
2023 Playoffs: By the numbers
Offense
Goals for
Vegas: 3.65 (3rd)
Florida: 3.13 (7th)
Shots for
Vegas: 30 (12th)
Florida: 31.7 (8th)
Power play
Vegas: 18.5 percent (9th)
Florida: 27.9 percent (6th)
Leading scorers
Vegas: Eichel (6-12–18), Marchessault (9-8–17), Stone/Barbashev (6-9–15), Karlsson (10-4–14), Stephenson (8-6–14)
Florida: Tkachuk (9-12–21), Verhaeghe (6-9–15), Aleksander Barkov (4-10–14), Sam Reinhart (7-4–11), Sam Bennett (4-7–11)
Defense
Goals against
Vegas: 2.65 (4th)
Florida: 2.69 (6th)
Shots against
Vegas: 32.4 (4th)
Florida: 37.3 (1st)
Penalty kill
Vegas: 63 percent (14th)
Florida: 71.2 percent (13th)
Season series
The Golden Knights and Panthers split the season series, with each club grabbing a regulation win on home ice.
Hill was fantastic in the matchup, stopping a combined 70 of 73 shots for a .959 save percentage. Bobrovsky managed a .927 combined save percentage with 51 saves on 55 shots.
No player scored more than one goal, and only Eichel and Keegan Kolesar for Vegas and Barkov and Nick Cousins for Florida managed multiple points in the two-game split.
Jan. 12: Golden Knights 4, Panthers 2
The Golden Knights trailed 1-0 after the first period thanks to former Golden Knights forward Cousins’ goal 2:02 into the contest. It was deemed a good goal even though the net was off its moorings (Ben Hutton was responsible for the contact). The Golden Knights evened things up early in the second period, but Florida answered with a power-play tally 8:39 later. The Panthers scored again to make it 3-1, though Vegas issued a successful challenge for offside, resulting in the goal being overturned. That proved to be a critical moment in the contest.
Vegas came up with a huge kill on an extended 5-on-3 in the third, and Eichel scored on a breakaway to make it a 2-2 game at 8:37; William Carrier scored the game-winner to make it 3-2 with 2:36 remaining. Vegas added an empty-net goal courtesy of Karlsson.
In the end, Vegas stormed back with a three-goal third period to take the first meeting. Kolesar had a game-high two points (both assists) as the fourth line accounted for two of four goals. Hill made 38 saves on 39 shots for a .974 save percentage, while Bobrovsky gave up three goals on 32 shots (.906).
This was the game in which Stone sustained the injury that kept him out of the lineup for the rest of the regular season until he returned for Game 1 of Vegas’ first-round matchup against the Jets.
Goals
Vegas: Nicolas Roy, Eichel, Carrier, Karlsson
Florida: Cousins, Reinhart
Jillian Wagner
March 7: Panthers 2, Golden Knights 1
Florida scored at almost the exact same point – 4:25 and 4:05 – in both the first and second periods, giving the Panthers a 2-1 lead early in the middle frame. Shea Theodore lit the lamp on the power play late in the second period, but Vegas was unable to net the equalizer in a scoreless third. Despite taking the loss, Hill stopped 32 of 34 for a .941 save percentage, while Bobrovsky turned aside 22 of 23 (.957).
At the time, it was the Golden Knights’ second regulation loss since the All-Star break, and it remains the only regulation loss of the season (including the playoffs) in which Vegas surrendered two or fewer goals.
Goals
Vegas: Theodore
Florida: Ryan Lomberg, Barkov
Jillian WagnerGoalie matchup
Golden Knights: Adin Hill
After going 16-7-1 with a 2.50 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in 25 starts in the regular season, Hill is 7-3 with a 2.07 goals-against average and .937 save percentage in 11 postseason games (nine starts). His 2.07 goals-against average is third among all playoff goalies behind only Carolina’s Frederik Andersen and New York’s Igor Shesterkin, and his .937 save percentage stands above the rest.
He has been nothing short of brilliant for the Golden Knights since coming in for the injured Brossoit in Game 3 of Vegas’ second-round series against the Oilers. Hill was ready to go from the start, and he played a pivotal role for the Golden Knights in that series (3-1, 2.19 GAA, .934 SV%). In particular, he helped Vegas give up just one goal on Edmonton’s five-minute major in Game 5, and he stopped 38 shots in a row to close out Game 6 – and the series – after surrendering a goal on each of Edmonton’s first two shots of the night. He was unbeatable for the final 57:17 of the elimination game, finishing the night with a .950 save percentage.
He improved that to a full 60 minutes of perfection in the Golden Knights’ series-clinching win against the Stars in Game 6. He didn’t need to be a brick wall, but he held Dallas off the board for his second shutout of the series.
Hill has stepped up at every stage of this postseason run, making timely saves, giving his team a chance to win every night and standing on his head for large stretches of tight contests.
Panthers: Sergei Bobrovsky
Bobrovsky delivered shaky and inconsistent goaltending during the regular season, which has been the norm for the streaky goalie since signing a massive $70 million deal with Florida in 2019. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner had never advanced past the second round; until now, that is.
This postseason, Bobrovsky has been other-worldly, and it’s a huge reason why he and the Panthers are where they are. Much has been made of his inability to win in the playoffs throughout his career, but he has put that to rest with a magnificent postseason run since taking over the crease in Game 3 of Florida’s first-round matchup against the Bruins.
Bobrovsky is 11-2 with a 2.21 goals-against average and .935 save percentage. Though his goals-against average and save percentage are both slightly below Hill’s, Bobrovsky has had a bigger sample size of games (14 compared to 11), minutes (roughly 288 more) and shots faced (504 compared to 333). A bulk of that stems from the 65 shots he faced in 139:47 in Florida’s quadruple-overtime win against Carolina in Game 1.
Bobrovsky is having a remarkable run and is a huge reason why the Panthers were able to pull off the upset against Boston before taking out the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes in nine combined games. He gave up two or fewer goals in eight consecutive games, and his numbers in the third-round matchup against Carolina (4-0-0, 1.12 GAA, .966 SV%) were sensational.
Key storylines
First championship
As was the case in 2018, the 2023 Stanley Cup Final matchup guarantees that a franchise will win its first-ever Stanley Cup. The Panthers haven’t been in the Final since 1996, and the Golden Knights have made massive moves over the last five years in order to take another swing at Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Both teams are hungry, both teams are talented and both teams have a chance to come away victorious.
Second chances
Coaches: Bruce Cassidy was fired by the Bruins last offseason despite an impressive tenure behind the Boston bench, during which he made the playoffs in six consecutive seasons and lost in seven games in the Stanley Cup in 2019. He was hired less than a week after being dismissed, and the Golden Knights haven’t been the same since. Cassidy has brought a level of calm and confidence to a Golden Knights team that had faced its fair share of tension, controversy and bad luck. He’s been an integral part of Vegas’ success, continues to make adjustments that lead to positive results and is in his second Cup Final in five seasons.
On the other side of the matchup, Paul Maurice has taken this Panthers team to new heights. With eight games remaining in the regular season, the Panthers were three points out of a playoff spot; Alex Lyon went 6-1-1 to end the season, and Florida earned its trip to the postseason with a one-point edge over Pittsburgh. Maurice had an up-and-down time in Winnipeg before voluntarily stepping down, and he is sixth in postseason victories among coaches without a Stanley Cup win.
Star players: Tkachuk had a career-high 104-point campaign in his final season with Calgary before requesting a chance of scenery. He was moved in a blockbuster trade and then signed a massive contract extension with an AAV of $9.5 million. Not only did he set a new personal best with 109 points in the regular season, but he has proven that he is more than capable of leading his team to the promised land, an opportunity he never quite had with the Flames. He is becoming a top producer in the NHL and is thriving with his second club.
The same is true for Eichel, who had a much more tumultuous journey to this point. After the Sabres general manager publicly expressed disappointment over losing the Connor McDavid sweepstakes, Eichel had a rocky six-year span with Buffalo. He was an elite producer but played meaningless games on a team that didn’t challenge for the postseason. In his first postseason experience, he has demonstrated an impressive level of maturity, proving all naysayers wrong with a team-high 18 points and a notable focus on elevating all aspects of his game.
Goalie duel
Bobrovsky has been followed by the narrative of not being able to perform under the intense pressure of playoff hockey but has finally stepped out of that shadow.
Hill isn’t a marquee goaltender, doesn’t have a massive contract and had never started a single postseason game prior to last month. However, he’s had to earn his spot in the NHL and has been crucial to Vegas’ success throughout the playoffs.
Bobrovsky and Hill have been outstanding for their respective clubs. Both are neck and neck in goals-against average and save percentage, and both have stolen games for their teams. Considering how talented both teams are and how evenly-matched they appear to be, the goaltenders could very well decide this series.
Familiar faces
Cousins was a one-time Golden Knights forward and is playing well in a top-six role alongside Tkachuk.
However, much more will be made of two Original Misfits facing their former team. Smith and Marchessault were members of the Florida Panthers prior to the Vegas Expansion Draft. Marchessault was the team’s official selection, while Smith was acquired in a trade for a fourth-round pick. Both have been consistent contributors for the Golden Knights and are two of six remaining players from the inaugural-campaign roster (Karlsson, Brayden McNabb, Theodore, Carrier). Having a chance to get the ultimate Misfits revenge on such an important stage would be thrilling for the two wingers.
Been there, done that
Both teams have veteran players with Stanley Cup experience, and there are eight players who already have rings.
For Vegas, that list includes Alex Pietrangelo (captained the Blues to the Cup in 2019) and Barbashev (a member of St. Louis’ 2019 squad), Alec Martinez (won two Cups with Los Angeles and scored multiple season-altering goals at key moments, including his double-overtime tally that clinched the Cup in 2014) as well as Chandler Stephenson (won with the Capitals in 2018). While they may not play in the series, both Phil Kessel and Jonathan Quick have two Stanley Cup rings; Kessel won with Pittsburgh in back-to-back seasons as a member of the “HBK” line, while Quick won with Martinez and the Kings in 2012 and 2014.
All six current members of the Golden Knights’ inaugural season roster are in their second Cup appearances after falling to Washington in 2018; that list includes the Misfits, McNabb, Theodore and Carrier.
For the Panthers, Carter Verhaeghe won with Tampa Bay in 2020, while Eric Staal won with Carolina in 2006. Brother Marc Staal has Cup experience but was held without a ring thanks to Martinez and the Kings back in 2014.
Conn Smythe consideration
There are candidates for both teams, though the most likely options ahead of Game 1 include Bobrovsky and Tkachuk for Florida as well as Eichel and Karlsson for Vegas.
Note: See “Conn Smythe Trophy candidates” below.
Keys to the series
This series is difficult to predict, especially since these teams only faced each other twice during the regular season. That being said, there are certain things the Golden Knights want to focus on heading into the matchup.
One of those is a relentless forecheck, which gave the Oilers and Stars fits throughout the second and third rounds, respectively. The Panthers have a similarly aggressive approach, so it’ll be interesting to see which team prevails. But the Golden Knights can’t be reckless; much like the Panthers, the Golden Knights need to be patient and await opportunities to strike. A steady forecheck will wear down the Florida defense, which has been hampered by the play of Marc Staal.
Vegas needs to be great at both nets.
The Golden Knights have to go to the net, get greasy, aim for deflection goals against the red-hot Bobrovsky and try to take away his eyes when possible. More importantly, however, the Golden Knights have to play strong defense in front of Hill. That means helping him clear pucks, getting in shooting lanes, making strong first passes to get clean exits and preventing the Panthers from getting to the middle of the ice. It’s easier said than done, but Cassidy will need to make necessary adjustments along the way.
One thing the Golden Knights need to continue to stress is playing with discipline. The Panthers’ power play has been effective throughout the playoffs and has at least a goal in six out of its last seven games. Further, the Golden Knights’ penalty kill has been completely unreliable throughout the playoffs; giving the Panthers any advantage could be costly. This has been true throughout the postseason, but staying out of the box and keeping this series at 5-on-5 will be key for the Golden Knights yet again.
The Golden Knights will need Hill to carry over his stellar play from the second and third rounds. The spotlight is daunting, but his relaxed and unfazed disposition will be a positive for the Golden Knights, who have been able to remain focused in the face of adversity.
The Panthers have their top stars split up on the top two lines but have gotten contributions from their bottom six, much like Vegas. Even so, the Golden Knights have the edge in depth and need to use it. The fourth line set a tone in Game 6 against Dallas, went on to score two goals and was absolutely dominant throughout the contest. The Golden Knights have relied on their depth all year and especially in the playoffs; that will need to be a factor in this series as well.
Getting off to strong starts also will be key for Vegas. Even if the Golden Knights don’t score the first goal, a strong start could be paramount in a tightly-contested matchup featuring a goalie playing at the top of his game.
Conn Smythe Trophy candidates
In the 22 seasons in which a team has been crowned Stanley Cup champion since the dawn of the new millennium, the Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded to a defenseman six times, a goalie six times and a center seven times. Alex Ovechkin is the only winger who has won it in the last eight years, and only three wingers have won the award this century (Ovechkin in 2018, Justin Williams in 2014 and Patrick Kane in 2013).
The teams who have won multiple Cups in the last 22 seasons include Colorado (2001, 2021), Tampa Bay (2004, 2020, 2021), Pittsburgh (2009, 2016, 2017), Chicago (2010, 2013, 2015), Los Angeles (2012, 2014), Detroit (2002, 2008) and New Jersey (2000, 2003). Five teams have won once: St. Louis in 2019, Washington in 2018, Boston in 2011, Anaheim in 2007 and Carolina in 2006.
Though goaltender Jean-Sebastian Giguere won the award in 2003, the Ducks lost to New Jersey in the Final. Despite the fact that New Jersey recorded three shutouts, Giguere came home with the trophy, just not the one he wanted.
That’s a possibility this time around given the way Bobrovsky has played. However, the Golden Knights are going to need to best him in order to make this conversation relevant, and it’s highly unlikely for a player on the losing team to win the award. It would take an all-out masterclass to make it happen this year, but that’s not out of the realm considering how impactful both Bobrovsky and Tkachuk have been through three rounds.
Interestingly, six of the seven teams with multiple Cups since 2000 have not had more than one player at the same position take home the Conn Smythe. The Penguins are the lone exception, as centers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby (twice) took home the honors. This is true for the four teams who have multiple Cups since 2010 (Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Los Angeles). Ovechkin is the only winger to win the award in his team’s first Stanley Cup in the last 22 years, as Williams and Kane received the award in their clubs’ second championship.
Tkachuk could disrupt that trend, as could Marchessault.
Despite the fact that a defenseman has won the Conn Smythe in two of the last three years, neither team still standing in 2023 has a rearguard currently in the running for the playoff MVP honors.
Golden Knights
There are a handful of Golden Knights in consideration for the award, though there are potential dark horse candidates that could turn heads with an outstanding showing in the Final should Vegas hoist its first Cup. The Vegas list consists of a selection of forwards and Hill. Vegas’ blue line has been excellent, but it has worked as a unit and, therefore, has not produced a standout candidate.
William Karlsson: Karlsson has been a rock for the Golden Knights throughout the postseason. Vegas has outscored opponents 14-5 with Karlsson on the ice, and Karlsson has played a significant role in shutting down opposing teams’ best players in all three rounds. Perhaps most impressively, McDavid and Draisaitl were held to zero 5-on-5 goals with Karlsson on the ice. Vegas outscored the Jets 5-1 with Karlsson prowling the ice; the margin was smaller for Edmonton (3-2) but improved against the Stars (6-2).
Karlsson set a franchise record for most goals in a postseason with a team-high 10, leads all remaining players in goals per 60 (2.19) at 5-on-5 and has four goals in three series-clinching games. Karlsson scored a team-best four goals in Vegas’ five-game series against the Jets and then exploded for five goals and six points in the Dallas series. He has 14 points in 17 games and has been exceptional for the Golden Knights. Though Vegas rolls four lines, the Karlsson line has done the bulk of the damage defensively; if not for his play, the Golden Knights would be on the golf course.
Adin Hill: Hill has been phenomenal for the Golden Knights. He leads all playoff netminders with a .937 save percentage, and his 2.07 goals-against average is slightly better than the much-talked-about Bobrovsky. He gives his team a chance to win every night, and much like he did in the Dallas series and in the third periods of Games 5 and 6 against Edmonton, he has the potential to take over a game and shut the door. He has saved just above 10 goals above expected and has far exceeded his projected ceiling all year.
Jonathan Marchessault: Marchessault has scored monster goals for the Golden Knights in the last two rounds, including a natural hat trick in Game 6 against the Oilers. At 5-on-5, Marchessault leads all players (min. 100 minutes) in points per 60 (3.45), leads the the Golden Knights in most possession categories and is second on the team with 17 points. He could have a big series against his former team.
Jack Eichel: The Golden Knights’ top line has been stellar, and all three members have at least 15 points in 17 games. Ironically, arguably the third-most effective member of that line has been Eichel, though he’s getting the most recognition prior to the Final notwithstanding how clutch Marchessault has been and how much Barbashev, who has been anything but a passenger, has contributed. Eichel is an early favorite for the Conn Smythe given his complete game, and if he can start to convert on his many scoring chances, he has as good a shot as anyone to win it.
Dark horses: Stone is tied for third on the team with 15 points in 17 games and has been a significant leader for the Golden Knights throughout the playoffs. His surprising return from his second back surgery in less than a year makes his performance all the more impressive, particularly considering people were clamoring for him to be held out of the lineup ahead of Game 2 against the Jets. Stone has been targeted throughout the postseason but hasn’t retaliated once; he’s the leader of this team and very well could come through with monumental plays at key moments in the series.
Chandler Stephenson is another name worth mentioning here. He is third on the team with eight goals and has 14 points in 17 games. He recorded multi-point efforts in four consecutive games in the first round, scored the overtime tally in Game 2 against Dallas and is tied for first on the club with three game-winning goals. His speed is a game-changer, and he has a tendency to light it up when he catches fire.
Tom Urtz Jr.
Panthers
Unlike the Golden Knights, the discussion surrounding Conn Smythe candidates for the Panthers likely will revolve around just two players, both of whom have a very strong case. There’s a small chance Barkov or Verhaeghe could be in the running, though they are both longshots considering how dominant Bobrovsky and Tkachuk have been.
Sergei Bobrovsky: Bobrovsky is having the kind of postseason that’s worthy of Conn Smythe consideration regardless of the outcome of this series. He went eight consecutive games without giving up more than two goals, went 4-0 with a 1.12 goals-against average, .966 save percentage and one shutout in the Eastern Conference Final and has stopped a whopping 21.4 goals above expected.
Matthew Tkachuk: Tkachuk scored three game-winning goals in the Eastern Conference Final alone, including the series-clincher with less than five seconds left in the third period to help the Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Final. Tkachuk has delivered a strong two-way game, is second in the playoffs with 21 points in 16 games and has been “the guy” for Florida on countless occasions.
Bottom line
The Golden Knights and Panthers have a chance to make history for their franchises. Both teams have a balanced attack, strong defensive play and rock-solid goaltending. The Golden Knights need to stay out of the box and keep this series at 5-on-5, where they’ve scored 49 of 62 postseason goals (the most of any team). Vegas needs to continue to roll four lines and get contributions from throughout the lineup. If Hill can keep pace, the Golden Knights will be a tough team to beat.
The Panthers have had a lengthy break between series, which may have lessened the “underdog mentality” effect that has carried them through the postseason. The Panthers need more out of Barkov offensively, need Tkachuk to continue to come through and need Bobrovsky to steal a game or two.
The stakes don’t get higher than this.
This one’s for all the marbles.
Both teams will look to leave it all on the ice.
Projected lineups
Golden Knights
Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Jonathan Marchessault
Reilly Smith – William Karlsson – Michael Amadio
Brett Howden – Chandler Stephenson – Mark Stone
William Carrier – Nicolas Roy – Keegan Kolesar
Alec Martinez – Alex Pietrangelo
Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore
Nicolas Hague – Zach Whitecloud
Adin Hill
Jonathan Quick
Panthers
Carter Verhaeghe – Aleksander Barkov – Anthony Duclair
Nick Cousins – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart
Ryan Lomberg – Eric Staal – Colin White
Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Marc Staal – Brandon Montour
Josh Mahura – Radko Gudas
Sergei Bobrovsky
Alex Lyon
How to watch Game 1
Game 1: Golden Knights vs. Panthers
When: 5 p.m. PT
Where: T-Mobile Arena – Las Vegas, NV
TV: TNT, TBS, truTV
Radio: Fox Sports 98.9 FM
Jillian Wagner