Vegas and Florida set for 'Sun Belt' Stanley Cup Final
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[June 02, 2023]
(Reuters) - The Florida Panthers hope to put the finishing
touches to their storybook playoff run when they face the Vegas
Golden Knights in an intriguing Stanley Cup Final matchup that gets
underway on Saturday.
Every game of the best-of-seven series to determine the champions of
the 2022-23 National Hockey League season will be played in the Sun
Belt for the first time and feature teams who could not have started
the playoffs further apart.
Vegas entered the postseason as top seed in the Western Conference
while Florida squeaked into the playoffs as the final wildcard in
the Eastern Conference and were not even expected to advance past
the first round never mind reach the final.
The Panthers, who lost in their only other Stanley Cup Final
appearance when they suffered a four-game sweep at the hands of the
Colorado Avalanche in 1996, remarkably beat three of the top four
regular season teams to reach the championship round.
"It's just so fun being at the rink right now," said Florida forward
Matthew Tkachuk, who leads the Panthers with 21 points in the
playoffs, including four game-winning goals.
"We've got a few weeks left of this. We talked about it in the room,
it's going to be the best few weeks of our lives, hopefully. It's
something that we're all really excited for."
Florida had to win three consecutive elimination games in the first
round to beat the Boston Bruins, who were coming off the best
regular season in NHL history, before upsetting the Toronto Maple
Leafs in five games and sweeping the Carolina Hurricanes.
Tkachuk, who brings an emotional edge and an ability to step up when
it matters most, scored two overtime goals on the road against
Carolina before sending Florida to the Stanley Cup Final when he
netted the series-winning goal with 4.9 seconds left.
LONG LAYOFF
The Panthers have also enjoyed stellar goaltending from Sergei
Bobrovsky, who has got better each round since taking over the
starting reins in Game Four against Boston.
The 34-year-old Russian, who won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best
goalie in 2013 and 2017, has also emerged as a prime candidate to be
named Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the playoffs' most valuable
player should Florida win the Stanley Cup.
[to top of second column] |
May 24, 2023; Sunrise, Florida, USA;
Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) controls the puck
against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period in game four
of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at
FLA Live Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY
Sports/File Photo
Vegas needed just five games to get past the
Winnipeg Jets in the first round, eliminated the Edmonton Oilers in
six games and ousted the Dallas Stars in six to reach their second
Stanley Cup Final in only their sixth year of existence.
"We had one goal at the start of the season: get better every day
and put ourselves in the opportunity to play for the Stanley Cup,
and now we have that chance," said Vegas captain Mark Stone.
The Golden Knights are led by talented forward Jack Eichel, who was
the second overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, while goalie Adin
Hill has been rock-solid behind a strong defense since taking over
the crease midway through the second round.
By the time the puck drops on Saturday, the Panthers will have had
10 days off between games, and although concerns about their ability
to come out sharp after such a long layoff are legitimate, the team
are not bothered.
"I mean, it's Game One of the Stanley Cup Final, you're gonna have
some nerves and you're gonna have some excitement," said Panthers
defenseman Marc Staal.
"We'll prepare the right way (and) our energy level will be right.
Maybe a little bit rusty in certain aspects, but we'll be ready to
play."
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Ed Osmond)
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