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

[ChanceVegas]

Wow

 

[ChanceVegas]

 

[TheBeard]

Not surprised. Vegas always takes advantage of people willing to pay stupid amounts for a spectacle.

I just can't see past 4 games. One sided series so far. Florida plays dumb, Vegas plays smart.
Florida sometimes in the game, creating dangerous chances, mostly its Vegas having the puck and creating offence,

Florida trying to be the man, the bully, but they are laughable with their try and Matthew Tkachuk is the main reason;
fake tough guy act only goes so far.. playing dirty and chewing that mouth guard isn't tough

Hard to compete with the talent level in Vegas though. Most teams don’t bet the farm year in and year out to stack a lineup knowing they’re inevitably dust once the bill comes.

 

[Mike C]

(1) VGK is deeper - in particular, 4th line and 3rd pairing are far superior
(2) VGK has been way more disciplined
(3) Hill is outplaying Bob, who looks tired
(4) Panthers are getting zero puck luck

(1) is immutable, barring injuries. (4) is up to the hockey gods.

Can Florida flip (2) and (3) to make a long series out of this?

You forgot to say that Florida is undisciplined and Vegas is the opposite of that

 

[Three On Zero]

Hey! we were told this was going to be a ratings nightmare.

 

[FlaPanthers11]

I mean this as a real question but what does “outselling the number of tickets sold on Stubhub” actually mean?

The games are all sellouts. Stubhub is a re-sale site. Does this meant the tickets are changing hands more often? Does that matter?

 

[BelovedIsles]

Florida has to massively clean up their play in the D zone. Puck management, gap control, and coverage all must improve. They held it together for three rounds, and Bob bailed them out when needed. This is what it looks like when they lose their D structure and Bob returns to form.

Cassidy made a savvy move by shifting to a quick attack, exploiting a subpar D. Every series previous Vegas played conservatively, with moments of attack; then a lot of passivity. Vegas' speed and pressure is making Florida look real bad in their zone; and Vegas can finish (unlike Carolina).

Florida, get this to 7 (doubtful). It's a long summer.

 

[Turin]

I don’t agree so much.

The Knights look really good so far, but I’m not sure if they’ve looked much better all year.

I don’t know if that’s Vegas peaking/wanting it more or if it’s all kabuki and the Panthers are good and on some weird tilt.

Don’t think anyone should be walking too confidently in Vegas tonight, but the chin should be up a couple of degrees for sure.

I’m not sure what you don’t agree with? 0-2 hole in the finals has been overcome twice since 2005 and one was Pittsburgh and the other Boston. Before the cap it had only happened 3 times ever. I like Florida but they don’t have a young Sid and Geno and as good as Bob is these playoffs he still isn’t quite Tim Thomas. They could win the next two in Florida and I wouldn’t be shocked, but history is not on their side- it will take a very special effort to win 4 out of the next 5.

 

[mundyc3]

What a game to be at. I've lost my voice and gotten all my cardio for the week by jumping around.

 

[Turin]

Vegas making Florida look like a bunch of amateurs.

At least 6 playoff teams in the West would have creamed this Florida team into a pulp. Florida will be lucky to take this to a game 5. They are outclassed. Teams like the Leafs have a long ways to go if this is the type of team to brush them aside in just 5 games.

West has better top end teams bar none. Not even close.

Florida would likely have beaten Winnipeg, Edmonton and Dallas. Maybe not Edmonton because they take too many penalties - but 5 on 5 they would have killed the Oilers. Florida isn’t getting obliterated every period like Pitts vs Detroit 08 - they had the better of the play imo the first two periods of game one on average. Vegas just adapted to Floridas forecheck so far.

 

[Ratsreign]

Wow

Just setting y’all up for the most gut wrenching 7 and 2 home record of all time

 

[Three On Zero]

Vegas making Florida look like a bunch of amateurs.

At least 6 playoff teams in the West would have creamed this Florida team into a pulp. Florida will be lucky to take this to a game 5. They are outclassed. Teams like the Leafs have a long ways to go if this is the type of team to brush them aside in just 5 games.

West has better top end teams bar none. Not even close.

Not even remotely accurate, Florida would've wiped the floor with most of these Western playoff teams.

Florida would likely have beaten Winnipeg, Edmonton and Dallas. Maybe not Edmonton because they take too many penalties - but 5 on 5 they would have killed the Oilers. Florida isn’t getting obliterated every period like Pitts vs Detroit 08 - they had the better of the play imo the first two periods of game one on average. Vegas just adapted to Floridas forecheck so far.

Much like Vegas, Edmonton wouldn't have been able to handle Florida 5on5. Edmonton also draws what seems to be an above average amount of penalties. Florida/Edmonton would be an interesting series

 

[Mike C]

And to the person you quoted because i am too lazy to find the OP. Vegas had plenty of injuried and a new ciaching staff as well.

Speaking of which, wonder what new voice Montgomery is doing these days

 

[Mike C]

This is the playoff Tkachuk I’m familiar with

Totally unhnged

 

[Felidae]

Objective posts from Panthers fans? Ooohhhhhkay.....

You say this as if Panthers fans have been more biased than other fanbases.

I've been active in quite a few post season GDT's and as a completely neutral Panthers fan, I can confidently say we haven't been any different than the rest of ya'll.

 

[BattleBorn]

I’m not sure what you don’t agree with? 0-2 hole in the finals has been overcome twice since 2005 and one was Pittsburgh and the other Boston. Before the cap it had only happened 3 times ever. I like Florida but they don’t have a young Sid and Geno and as good as Bob is these playoffs he still isn’t quite Tim Thomas. They could win the next two in Florida and I wouldn’t be shocked, but history is not on their side- it will take a very special effort to win 4 out of the next 5.

I’m being kind despite having the apparent advantage while also realizing that the Knights to this point have played two of their best games this season.

Unique for fan internet discussions, I know.

 

[T REX]

The difference at the blue line says it all.

I mean...it's not close. And Bob...turned back into a pumpkin

 

[Mike C]

Wes McAuley is the person that prevented the Toronto Maple Leafs from winning the Stanley Cup this season.

Wow, didn't know his real name was Austin Matthews. His nickname must be crappy goalie

 

[ChanceVegas]

PoMo figuring out how to beat Vegas by scoring less goals than them...

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Florida has to massively clean up their play in the D zone. Puck management, gap control, and coverage all must improve. They held it together for three rounds, and Bob bailed them out when needed. This is what it looks like when they lose their D structure and Bob returns to form.

Cassidy made a savvy move by shifting to a quick attack, exploiting a subpar D. Every series previous Vegas played conservatively, with moments of attack; then a lot of passivity. Vegas' speed and pressure is making Florida look real bad in their zone; and Vegas can finish (unlike Carolina).

Florida, get this to 7 (doubtful). It's a long summer.

That's what Gallant did wrong, he made his Knights play high pressure, up tempo, all in hockey from game 1 of of the play-offs.
Conference finals killed them. Then the Capitals had easy peacy 5 game w over the completely gassed out Knights.

During game 1, i thought many times that this is not the Vegas Golden Knight that won 3 series, sure they beat Caps in game one
and scored 8 goals, but you could easily see that they were totally out of energy.

Cassidy is super smart coach.

 

[holycowe]

Game over man, game over
but I love the Panties’s fans, they’re fighting til the end

 

[HanSolo]

That's what Gallant did wrong, he made his Knights play high pressure, up tempo, all in hockey from game 1 of of the play-offs.
Conference finals killed them. Then the Capitals had easy peacy 5 game w over the completely gassed out Knights.

During game 1, i thought many times that this is not the Vegas Golden Knight that won 3 series, sure they beat Caps in game one
and scored 8 goals, but you could easily see that they were totally out of energy.

Cassidy is super smart coach.

Yeah I'm sure Washington would have won regardless but Vegas was strangely out of the energy they had in prior series and with that came a total lack of focus from top to bottom. Still doesn't make sense to this day when considering Vegas had a fair bit of rest.

 

[David71]

wheres patric hornqvist.

 

[5minutemajor]

Vegas can definitely close this out with a sweep because that’s hockey but as easy of a win as that was for Vegas I think there’s some chance that it may not be too easily repeatable

I thought the game was pretty even from a chance generation standpoint until 3-0 and the Panthers faced a combination of forcing the issue/opening up too much and confusion with lines

xG charts will match but the Panthers had a slight edge in chances until Vegas had a dominant powerplay in the first to go up 1-0. Panthers followed with a dominant powerplay of their own with 5 good shots but couldn’t get one through. Vegas countered and scored off a relatively weak chance that you probably wouldn’t count on going in too much

At 2-0, the Gudas injury came up big, forcing Casey Fitzgerald into minutes when he should be in the press box ideally. He handed Vegas the chance on the 3rd goal but like the second it really wasn’t even that great of a chance. Another one you’d expect a save on

Panthers opened up from there and we’re playing in a line blender at forward and defense due to the injuries and initial Tkachuk misconduct

Miscommunications (playing with 4 players) and over-aggressiveness due to score led to some easy Vegas rush chances that they cashed in on

If Gudas is out for the series, which I assume he is, then the Panthers won’t be fixing the main issue here but on home ice they may be able to shelter Fitzgerald somewhat

Overall, I’d expect a much better effort from Florida in a neutral game state

I like Gudas. However, I think most people on HFBoards do not. Anyway, he is/was on the third pairing. Why is he so critical now?

 

[Zaddy91]

Luongo let them know 7 goals allowed in SCF is bad.