There will be a new Stanley Cup champion when all is said and done, but not before we begin the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final quest with the opening salvo between the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights. Both teams have impressed on their respective paths to the final stage of the postseason, but who’ll draw first blood in the series this weekend?

Nitrobetting is here to turn your betting slapshots into winning goals with betting tips and news coverage throughout the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. This time, let’s break down the upcoming Game 1 Stanley Cup Final showdown between the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights.

Panthers vs. Golden Knights Game 1 2023 Stanley Cup Final Information

• When: Saturday, June 3, 2023, 8:00 PM ET
• Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
• TV: TNT, TBS, CBC, SN, TVAS
• Radio: 99.9 The Fan (Panthers) // KKGK 98.9 FM (Golden Knights)
• Live Stream: NHL Network
• NHL Betting Odds: Panthers (+1.5) / Golden Knights (-1.5)

READ MORE: Panthers vs. Golden Knights 2023 Stanley Cup Final Game 1 Odds and Preview – June 5th

Why Bet on the Florida Panthers?

The eighth-seeded Florida Panthers are having one of the more captivating Cinderella runs in American major sports history. In the first round of the 2023 NHL Playoffs, they staged a massive upset over the best team during the regular season, the Boston Bruins, in a Game 7 overtime classic. Florida then went 4-1 over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round and swept the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final for the team to punch its ticket into the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1996.

All-Star forward Matthew Tkachuk has been sensationally clutch of late. In the ECF series against the Hurricanes, Tkachuk scored two game-winning goals in overtime and also scored the go-ahead goal with less than five seconds left in Game 4’s series clincher. Other standouts such as Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart have also performed exceptionally on offense.

Meanwhile, the Panthers’ success can largely be credited to goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. The former two-time Vezina Trophy winner is finally having his breakout playoff stint with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage. Bobrovsky’s 11 wins are the most by any goaltender this postseason and he’s had to face some of the most potent offenses in the league at that in Boston, Toronto, and Carolina in succession.

Why Bet on the Vegas Golden Knights?

On the opposite end of the Panthers’ spectrum, the Vegas Golden Knights proved that they’re indeed the best team in the Western Conference by finishing with the best regular season in the conference and reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in franchise history. Vegas made quick work of the Winnipeg Jets in the opening round, then took care of the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars in six games apiece.

Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson have combined to score 19 goals for the Knights this postseason. Marchessault’s plus-13 is the best plus-minus mark for any player in the playoffs, with fellow teammates Ivan Barbashev (plus-12) and Alec Martinez (plus-11) making up a well-round Vegas roster that averages 3.65 goals per game.

Countering Florida’s Bobrovsky on the opposite end of the ice is journeyman goalie Adin Hill, who’s been exceptional since taking the reigns in front of the net for injured Laurent Brossoit. Hill posted one more shutout victory this postseason than Bobrovsky, and the 27-year-old Canadian even has slightly better stats with a 2.07 GAA and a .937 SV% through 11 playoff starts.

Panthers vs. Golden Knights Betting Trends

• The Panthers have an eight-game road winning streak going.
• The Panthers have also won nine straight outings as underdogs.
• The totals went under in each of Florida’s last five road games.
• The Golden Knights are 6-2 in their last eight home games.
• The Knights are 6-4 lifetime against the Panthers.
• The totals went over in three of the last four games played in the T-Mobile Arena.

Panthers vs. Golden Knights 2023 Stanley Cup Final Game 1 Expert Betting Predictions

It doesn’t get any closer than two teams each with stellar goaltending and notable playoff heroes. If given a choice in this toss-up of a matchup, we’ll have to side with Florida to pull off the road upset in Game 1. The Panthers have just been spectacular on the road this postseason and are more well-rested having advanced from their Conference Final series much earlier than the Knights.

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