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3 key factors for Florida Panthers to stay alive in Game 5 vs Vegas Golden Knights
The Florida Panthers are on the ropes. As Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals nears on Tuesday night, Florida is in need of a victory to stay alive against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Vegas took a commanding 3-1 series lead with a 3-2 win on Saturday in Sunrise, Florida. Now, the Golden Knights are just one win away from the franchise's first championship. If the Florida Panthers are to force a Game 6 back at home, they need a few things to go near perfectly.
#1 Florida must score first
Scoring first has been a huge advantage during the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, as it is often in hockey. During the regular season, the Panthers went 30-10-4 when scoring first. They were 12-22-4 when allowing the first goal. In the playoffs, that trend has continued. During the Stanley Cup Finals, Florida's only victory came when it scored first.
Florida's playoff success has relied heavily on momentum and confidence. Games 1 and 2 saw the Vegas Golden Knights completely shut down Florida's physicality. The Panthers struggled as a result. In Game 3, Florida swung the momentum, especially when tying the game late before winning in overtime. Scoring first in Game 5 will be vital.
#2 Sergei Bobrovsky must outduel Adin Hill
Sergei Bobrovsky was the best goalie in the playoffs until the Stanley Cup Finals.
In the finals, Bobrovsky has been outdueled by Vegas goaltender Adin Hill. Hill has gone 3-1, allowing only 2.25 goals per game. He has recorded a .935 save percentage or higher in all three victories.
Bobrovsky responded in games 3 and 4 after poor performances in the first two outings. He will need to be well above average in Game 5, as Vegas will be hungry to end the series at home.
#3 Panthers have to play between the whistles
The post-whistle Florida Panthers have been de-weaponized in the Stanley Cup Finals.
After pushing around the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes, the Panthers came into the finals with the same approach. Matthew Tkachuk referred to it as "mucking it up with a little skill." But the Golden Knights did not bite. Each attempt to get under the Vegas skaters' skin was ignored and often resulted in a Panthers minor penalty.
In Game 5, the Florida Panthers have to focus on playing between the whistles. They proved that they can compete with Vegas, nearly completing a three-goal comeback in Game 4 and overcoming multiple bad penalties to win in Game 3. But if they are going to win and extend the series, they must compete between the whistles and let the other stuff go.
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