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

[Kranix]

Time to insert Kessel into the lineup

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

It was dumb by Gudas. I thought it was an inconsistently / stupidly called game, but the only thing that struck me as egregious was the call with 11 seconds to go on a guy trying to superman his way through a desperate and obviously smothered entry.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Nothing more than Florida running out of all leeway in prior rounds. Gudas specifically has been warned multiple times yet been enabled continuously. About time.

 

[HANK30]

It's very clear which team the NHL office wants to win. The Panthers are going to have to beat the Knights and the refs if they are going to pull this series out.

 

[5 Hole]

It took 26 years and 7 tries but we finally have a SCF game win. I'm just going to enjoy it.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Didn't watch past the 2nd, or only a bit into the 3rd, I can't remember, but the refs f***ed that game like they did to most playoff games.

 

[didimentionlarseller]

It's very clear which team the NHL office wants to win. The Panthers are going to have to beat the Knights and the refs if they are going to pull this series out.

Same thing was clear when the Habs played Vegas a few years back the one sided officiating was very noticeable playing Vegas. I still remember Corey Perry getting his nose broken right in front of the ref and no call against Vegas.

Was so great when he came back out to the bench to high five everyone when we won a few minutes after that play.

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

Cats beat the refs and the knights! Was my first in person SCF game. So worth it.

 

[hangman005]

Refs haven't even scored one goal for us. for so blatantly helping us they really suck it.

 

[Leonardo87]

Refs haven't even scored one goal for us. for so blatantly helping us they really suck it.

As a Ducks fan can say the refs are out to get my team @HanSolo can back me up on this one.

But every team gets the short end of the stick sooner or later either in the regular season or playoffs.

I thought the reffing was very bad last night but both teams were given a ton of PPs. (Vegas was able to convert on a couple of them, Florida not so much) It was pretty even till that last sec phantom trip call. Cats won but if they lost based on that PP, would not blame the fans one bit for being upset.

As soon as Florida killed it off was like *whew*.

 

[HanSolo]

I can't imagine being a Vegas fan/player this summer if Florida wins this series. Knowing this series was essentially over if Barbashev scores or they take advantage of a gift OT PP.

I'm not overly worried about it. Even if Florida battles back and wins it ended up being a game of inches that could have gone either way on multiple occasions. It sucks that we played the better game and lost but with Florida the more desperate team, I thought Vegas very credibly outworked them and overall were the better team. Not by as much as Game 2 but they still had the better of the play. I like where we're at going into the next one. Last night sucked for sure but if Vegas deserves the cup, they'll fight and earn it.

 

[norrisnick]

As a Ducks fan can say the refs are out to get my team @HanSolo can back me up on this one.

But every team gets the short end of the stick sooner or later either in the regular season or playoffs.

I thought the reffing was very bad last night but both teams were given a ton of PPs. (Vegas was able to convert on a couple of them, Florida not so much) It was pretty even till that last sec phantom trip call. Cats won but if they lost based on that PP, would not blame the fans one bit for being upset.

As soon as Florida killed it off was like *whew*.

Makeup calls from the Pronger era.

 

[HanSolo]

As a Ducks fan can say the refs are out to get my team @HanSolo can back me up on this one.

But every team gets the short end of the stick sooner or later either in the regular season or playoffs.

I thought the reffing was very bad last night but both teams were given a ton of PPs. (Vegas was able to convert on a couple of them, Florida not so much) It was pretty even till that last sec phantom trip call. Cats won but if they lost based on that PP, would not blame the fans one bit for being upset.

As soon as Florida killed it off was like *whew*.

I mean it certainly felt that way but by the same token I had very similar experiences as a Ducks fan during their run of playoff success. Always less about what the Ducks did well to win than how the California refs helped them. I know all my making fun of ref whining makes it seem like I don't understand the big picture, but I do. The reality is the refs just suck. Indiscriminately. And if there is a bias it doesn't come from helping a favored team win but for blowing whistles more against teams more inherently scrutinized for their on ice antics.

But I agree, that call last night, even if there was a a slight trip from the skate tips contacting, that's such an incidental thing that there was no reason they should have called it and I would have no qualms if Florida fans screamed bloody murder if we won the game with that powerplay. I might say something about how Florida failed to score on numerous powerplays being a factor too but they'd have every right to be upset, like you said. Edit: if anything I was kind of glad we didn't score on that powerplay in the moment. I would have hated to have won that way. But then again, 3-0 feels a lot more comfortable than 3-1

 

[northeastern]

Florida is 7-0 these playoffs now in overtime. That's insane

It's absolutely mind bending. I think we can all admit Florida might not be the most talented team, but man they got that fight in them.

Nothing hurts like an ot loss, Florida fans must be having fun.

 

[flying squirrel]

Florida got what they needed, gritty win. With the way Florida won, this might help regain some of that mojo they had before long break. We'll see if it's enough but Vegas sure gave a dying cat another life after being so close to getting that 3-0 series lead. Wow, Florida was dead in the water but found that same magic that got them to the finals. At least we Hockey fans got somewhat of a competitive series and game 4 means something now.

Florida needs to keep sending a body charging to the net before a shots. Sorta like on the winning goal, forces goaltender back into net. With these big goaltenders now, forcing them deep opens up more net space to shot at.

 

[SomeOldDude]

So I bought the book
and then I took a fast look
at just
the very next page...

It was a single word that I'd just heard
From the two that came before...

 

[VivaLasVegas]

This loss was 99% on Cassidy, who went turtle early in the 3rd period and with totally predicable consequences, and 1% on the goal post for stopping Barbashev's shot around the 4 minute mark.

We've watched it all season. Cassidy goes into the turtle with a 1-pt lead and it always bites him in the ass. Over and over and over, bites him in the ass. Yet, like Einstein's description of stupidity, he keeps trying the same experiment over and over and hoping for a different result.

None of this is to take away anything from a gritty and gutsy Florida performance when the guillotine blade was already starting to fall. Cassidy gave them an opportunity to yank their head out of the hole, and they took advantage of it.

 

[Ratsreign]

It was a single word that I'd just heard
From the two that came before...

The only way
to really stay
is to walk right out the door

 

[Boris Zubov]

Cats beat the refs and the knights! Was my first in person SCF game. So worth it.

Refs were dogshit both ways. The one egregiously bad call was the trip with 11 seconds left. Otherwise it was just typical NHL officiating incompetence.

Unfortunately it's been the biggest storyline of the playoffs, by far.

 

[Pia8988]

Gudas is just a selfish idiot. His team had a PP coming.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

It's absolutely mind bending. I think we can all admit Florida might not be the most talented team, but man they got that fight in them.

Nothing hurts like an ot loss, Florida fans must be having fun.

And good luck. No one wins 7 out of 7 without luck.

 

[Leonardo87]

Refs were dogshit both ways. The one egregiously bad call was the trip with 11 seconds left. Otherwise it was just typical NHL officiating incompetence.

Unfortunately it's been the biggest storyline of the playoffs, by far.

Yup this. It’s not just one team getting the questionable calls against, it’s multiple teams. The inconsistency and incompetence has gone all the way back to the 1st round.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Gudas is just a selfish idiot. His team had a PP coming.

He's a caveman who's probably just learning how to read. What else would you expect of him?

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

I havent been able to watch with business

Is tkachuk and montour hurt? what update can I get? thanks

 

[Nasti]

The way the Panthers won doesn’t really give me confidence they can win Game 4. They showed nothing for 50 minutes and Bob really came up big along with the crossbar.