Stanley Cup Finals: (WC2) Florida Panthers vs (P1) Vegas Golden Knights | VGK Lead 3-1

[Felidae]

NHL just can't help themselves, eh? Could've started this series two days ago, but it's June 2nd and the finals don't even start until tomorrow.

What a joke.

Eh, it's not like anyone cares about these games anyways. No traditional hockey markets so they can afford to spread the games days, even weeks apart...

 

[CupsOverCash]

Eh, it's not like anyone cares about these games anyways. No traditional hockey markets so they can afford to spread the games days, even weeks apart...

Why not months? Years? It's just non traditional markets.

 

[MikeyMike01]

waiting for the finals to start

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

I still see a little bit of meat there

 

[Chairman Maouth]

So it's been awhile and I guess the season is over. Who won the cup?

 

[Pablo El Perro]

So it's been awhile and I guess the season is over. Who won the cup?

Toronta. They beat the Lightning!!!!!

 

[CupsOverCash]

So it's been awhile and I guess the season is over. Who won the cup?

Hartford whalers

 

[dhfa]

I am pulling for the panthers. Should be a nice fight. Both good deserving teams. Vegas winning would be funny though, so wouldn't care either way. I wish they would start it earlier but it is what it is.

 

[Three On Zero]

It’s official boys and girls, Vegas in 4.


According to a media release received by FOX5Vegas, Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club Las Vegas is offering the team “platinum VIP membership access and free lap dances for life in hopes of a championship win.” The statement added that “the offer is contingent on a Stanley Cup victory against the Florida Panthers.”

 

[Haguerbomb]

 

[Mike C]

waiting for the finals to start

Dad?

 

[Chairman Maouth]

Toronta. They beat the Lightning!!!!!

WE WANT FLORIDA!

Hartford whalers

I am very happy for my Vancouver hometown companion Ray Ferraro. He deserves to drink from the cup. No one else from Vancouver ever has.

 

[The Worst One]

I reckon Vegas is going to schmekeldorf Florida.

 

[jgs]

Florida beat better teams in the East than Vegas did in the West. Goaltending wins champion ships, edge Florida. This Florida team sure reminds me of the Kings 2012. Made it in the final playoff spot. weren't picked to win it all and at the end were standing on top of the mountain with the Stanley Cup. But it will be a great series because Vegas is coming to play and is no push over.

 

[hangman005]

It's time: GDT: - SCF Game 1: Florida Panthers Vs Vegas Golden Knights | 8:00PM ET 5:00PM PT| TNT, TBS, TRUTV, CBC, SN, TVAS

 

[WhataKnight]

Knights looked composed against the chaos that Florida brings.

Not getting ahead of myself, but this game proved three things that make me confident:

• Hill/VGK can get scored on first and keep bouncing back
• Vegas can keep composure when the Panthers try to goad Hague into penalty land
• Florida is excellent, but they can be forced into playing top-heavy……as the 4-line approach from Vegas displays an ability to sustain defense and push back with offence quick

Combine those three, and the Panthers don’t look as invincible as advertised. I said Knights in six, and I’m sticking with it.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

I thought aside from the first 15 minutes Vegas was better and it was still 2-2 with 12 minutes left. Refs were bad on both sides. Nothing really changed my view that this is going to be a long series.

Bob was good but looked good as opposed to Jesus like the past 2 rounds. Florida hit 3 posts. Luostarinen out hurt the bottom 6, hopefully hes good for game 2.

 

[HanSolo]

ya I think its going 7 regardless. Both teams will adjust, both teams are big and play hard.

As a non fan, of either team, meaning neither are my team or 'secondary' team, I am excited to see this final. I hope its as good as it can be.

2 big heavy teams who compete is all you want as a hockey fan. I hope its a great hard fought series coming down to an OT goal in game 7! sorry! but for those of us who's teams aren't in it, that makes it more fun! I am sure you'd rather see a sweep!

Not gonna lie, I'd rather see Vegas win it in 5 for the absolute madhouse the strip would be. I rarely want to go to the strip but I'd be out all night partying if we won in 5. Of course I say that now but in actuality, yeah I'd rather win in a sweep just to minimize the uncertainty and anxiety. But that's big time cart ahead of the horse.

Tonight was a rare occasion where Florida had the game get away from them after surrendering a third period lead, instead of stepping up with a clutch equalizer. Outside of that it was a much more closely contested game than the final score indicated. The first ten minutes I was genuinely intimidated by Florida's forechecking as it was on a level Vegas hasn't seen yet. But I was pleased that Vegas pushed back and eventually started to marginally outwork Florida. I wouldn't say they dominated but they kept Florida from dictating the pace of the game. Penalty calls aside. All in all a good battle, but I'm sure Florida is going to have more fight in game 2 so Vegas is going to have to fight even harder.

Edit: was also pleased that for the second straight game Vegas didn't turtle on a lead. Seems like Cassidy has recognized that to be an issue and has made the necessary adjustment. Refreshing after DeBoer proved to be incapable or unwilling to make adjustments as Vegas' coach.

 

[Nuckster]

Not gonna lie, I'd rather see Vegas win it in 5 for the absolute madhouse the strip would be. I rarely want to go to the strip but I'd be out all night partying if we won in 5. Of course I say that now but in actuality, yeah I'd rather win in a sweep just to minimize the uncertainty and anxiety. But that's big time cart ahead of the horse.

Tonight was a rare occasion where Florida had the game get away from them after surrendering a third period lead, instead of stepping up with a clutch equalizer. Outside of that it was a much more closely contested game than the final score indicated. The first ten minutes I was genuinely intimidated by Florida's forechecking as it was on a level Vegas hasn't seen yet. But I was pleased that Vegas pushed back and eventually started to marginally outwork Florida. I wouldn't say they dominated but they kept Florida from dictating the pace of the game. Penalty calls aside. All in all a good battle, but I'm sure Florida is going to have more fight in game 2 so Vegas is going to have to fight even harder.

I completely didn’t consider how crazy vegas will be with a cup win! My god that City is already off the hook! It would be nuts!

Nice to see major league sports showing up, hockey took the risk, and showed it can work. NFL and now MLB coming. I am sure NBA is not far behind

 

[HanSolo]

I completely didn’t consider how crazy vegas will be with a cup win! My god that City is already off the hook! It would be nuts!

Nice to see major league sports showing up, hockey took the risk, and showed it can work. NFL and now MLB coming. I am sure NBA is not far behind

I've heard there's been roadblocks with the deal for the Athletics but I haven't really looked into it much.

As much as people want to posture that Vegas has a fanbase of fairweather/casual fans, there may be some merit to a claim that many don't care about the wider NHL, but people underestimate just how loved the Golden Knights are in this city. Between a fairy tale inaugural season in response to a significant tragedy and being, not just the first pro sports team in town but really the first thing the city could jointly enjoy as something for the locals when the rest of the best of what the city has to offer is catered to the rest of the touristing world; there's a lot of love for the team out here.

If the Golden Knights do win this series, the celebration would be next level. For all the talk about how Vegas fans haven't suffered enough yet, part of me selfishly wants the Knights to win, apart from my own reasons as a fan, to really cement the VGK and the sport of hockey as the main draw in Las Vegas. I think the VGK will always have a loyal following after that inaugural year, but a cup win this year would keep them on top with more competition in the market.

 

[ItWasJustified]

Wes McCauley shouldn't be allowed to referee another Stanley Cup playoff game for the rest of his career.

 

[Sombastate]

So I was at the game… am I the only one who thought Florida looked terrible? Fumbled a lot of easy plays. Couldn’t complete a pass.

Vegas normally looks suffocating but I felt like Florida just was awful

 

[Craig Button]

https://cms.nhl.bamgrid.com/images/assets/binary/335473802/binary-file/file.pdf

as per the NHL 2022/2023 rulebook.

Hooking near the hands is not a penalty. You can hook a stick even if it's near the hands.
You have always been allowed to hook a stick and the idea that its a penalty because the stick is parallel is complete bs and not in the rulebook. I blame the refs that don't actually know the rules and the colour commentary that also know very little about hockey

Rule 55 – Hooking
55.1 Hooking - Hooking is the act of using the stick in a manner that enables a player to restrain an opponent.
When a player is checking another in such a way that there is only stick-to-stick contact, such action is not to be penalized as hooking.

the refs need to stop with these soft calls

 

[Artorius Horus T]

So I was at the game… am I the only one who thought Florida looked terrible? Fumbled a lot of easy plays. Couldn’t complete a pass.

Vegas normally looks suffocating but I felt like Florida just was awful

panthers really was bad - and matty tkachuk was their worst player

 

[WhataKnight]

If I know that name “Wayne Huizenga” without having to Google it; I have a point; and you don’t have to get so defensive.