SUNRISE, FL – The Vegas Golden Knights rolled right from a six-game series with Dallas and right into hosting the Stanley Cup Final while the Florida Panthers had a ten-day layoff after defeating President’s Cup-winning Boston and top teams Toronto and Carolina. It seems the significant time since their sweep of the Hurricanes is serving as a detriment.
Vegas played a good hand with two convincing home victories, a 5-2 win in Game One and a 7-2 thumping in Game Two, the latter of which chased Sergei Bobrovsky from the crease 7:10 into the second frame. Panthers star Matt
The Stanley Cup, Media Day – Photo by Jack Lima
hew Tkachuck has more 10-minute misconducts with three than points, just one, during the first two games.
The penetrating sounds of slot machines being cranked and roulette wheels being spun will now give way to waves crashing against the sandy beaches and crunching body checks by the Panthers. Florida will make their first home-ice Stanley Cup Final appearance in 27 years.
That was when the team was three years into their existence, skated at the Miami Arena and lost in triple overtime to the Colorado Avalanche. The former Quebec Nordiques won on the strength of an Uwe Krupp slap shot from the right point. The Cup-clinching goal secured a four-game sweep to achieve a Rocky Mountain High
This first home game is pivotal in getting back in the series, one in which the mental mistakes committed have far outweighed the physical mistakes common in high stakes games due to the two-month grind and fatigue. It’s the mental mistakes that have put the Eastern Conference Champions in a position to have to win 4 of their next 5 games to lift their first Stanley Cup.
To reverse course, Florida will have to get by a dominating Golden Knights squad. The Western Conference champs have scored 12 goals off the sticks of nine players in just two games. Three of those goals have come off the stick of defensemen. The depth is showing its value for Vegas and it is becoming difficult for Florida to stop.
Matthew Tkachuk talked about how Florida will have to get back to a disciplined style, stay out of the box. He leads the team in scoring this postseason, his first as a Panther.
Sam Bennett echoed his teammate’s remark and the need to get back to their style of game, stay out of the penalty box and get the power play going, currently non-existent in the first two games.
The return to form for Florida starts in the blue paint where Sergei Bobrovsky has to give his club confidence. Carolina was exasperated in trying to solve the gifted Russian. Bobrovsky must assume that role and inspire his teammates.
A controlled, but physical attack is needed by the big Florida forwards. A punishing assault, but not to the point where the penalty minute docket would indicate crossing the line. Add to that the need to avoid the 10-minute misconduct penalty and instead keeping the difference-makers in the game by flooding the scoresheet with shots leading to goals and assists.
In the morning media availability before tonight’s game, Panthers coach Paul Maurice talked about the Boston series being more physical than the Final round. Maurice also talked about how line matches will depend on where face-offs take place on the ice.
As to the importance of getting home, Maurice made clear that everyone is running on adrenaline and the crowd will play a huge part in today’s game.
It’s up to the Florida Panthers to put up this important fight and get back into the series. With the South Floridian fans bringing the noise, the Eastern Conference champs will have to skate their best game of the playoffs to signal to Vegas there is much more hockey to play.
Dennis Morrell has developed a deeply-rooted passion for the great game over many decades as a writer, photographer, goalie coach, netminder and active USA Hockey-certified referee with over 2,000 games on the ice. His passion for the game began in the early 70s with his first glance at skaters battling for the puck at Clayton’s Shaw Park. He has covered nine Stanley Cup Finals and a dozen of the NHL’s special event games. He can be reached at dennis.morrell@prohockeynews.com and you can follow him on Twitter at DMMORRELL.
You must be logged in to post a comment.