Game 1 Panthers vs Golden Knights Odds, Spread & Picks (June 3)
- The Golden Knights are -135 home favorites in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Panthers Saturday (June 3rd) at 8:00pm ET
- Florida is coming off a sweep and Vegas won the West Finals in six games
- Keep reading for the complete Panthers vs Golden Knights odds, plus best bets
Saturday evening, two franchises who are searching for the first Stanley Cup title square off with the Panthers taking on the Golden Knights. Florida is back in the Final after last making it in 1996 (swept by Colorado). Vegas is in their second one in six seasons of existence, having lost to the Capitals in their inaugural campaign.
Vegas begins this series as -125 favorites to capture their first Cup, with Florida +105 to win it all. Read on for Panthers vs Golden Knights analysis.
Panthers vs Golden Knights Game 1 Odds
| Game Time (ET) | Team | Puck Line | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, June 3rd | Florida Panthers | +1.5 (-240) | O 5.5 (-125) | +105 |
| 8:00 pm | Vegas Golden Knights | -1.5 (+195) | U 5.5 (-105) | -135 |
Vegas was +1200 to win the Stanley Cup when the postseason began, with the Cats a much longer shot at +2500. The Knights are the -135 favorites in this contest that features a total of 5.5 goals.
Puck drop is set for 8:00pm ET at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with TNT broadcasting the game in the States and Rogers Sportsnet and CBC covering it in Canada.
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Florida Panthers Betting Analysis
The Florida Panthers have run through a gauntlet of teams to make the Stanley Cup Final. They roared back from a 3-1 deficit in Round 1 against Boston, which had the best regular season ever. Then they dispatched the Maple Leafs in 5 games in the second round, and swept the Hurricanes in the East Finals. Those were three of the top four squads in hockey, which is no small feat.
Sergei Bobrovsky has been incredible in net, with a .935 save percentage, allowing just six markers in the four-game sweep. Subsequently, he’s the favorite in the Conn Smythe Trophy odds.
Both Sergei Bobrovsky and Matthew Tkachuk have strong cases for the Conn Smythe 🤔
(@asgrimson and @dallaseakins vote Bob tho)@TonyLuftman | #TimeToHunt | #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/p2kftxGVaX
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) May 31, 2023
Matthew Tkachuk has been otherworldly, scoring the first two winning goals of the series past regulation, assisting on the 1-0 winner in Game 3, then scoring the series clincher late in the third period to oust the Hurricanes.
After dropping their first road contest, the Panthers have reeled off eight straight victories away from home. They’ve also taken all six affairs going into overtime this postseason. The club has won their last six when their opponent allows two goals or less in their previous game.
Vegas Golden Knights Betting Analysis
Somewhat surprisingly, Vegas’ unheralded goaltender Adin Hill actually has a higher save percentage than Bobrovsky, with a sparkling .937 clip. He spelled an injured Laurent Brossoit in Round 2 against Edmonton and hasn’t looked back. Hill has two shutouts in his last four times hitting the ice, including the Western Finals series clincher against Dallas.
Vegas is playing in the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in six seasons of existence. In their inaugural season, they won Game 1 against Washington, only to drop the final four duels. They’ve had balanced scoring, with their top-six point-getters recording between 14 and 18 points.
Vegas Golden Knights are the 3rd team to reach the Stanley Cup Final multiple times within their first 6 NHL seasons in the expansion era (since 1967-68). pic.twitter.com/jWxNmoZfCM
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 30, 2023
The Golden Knights have won their last four against the East. This season, each team won one meeting each, with the Knights taking five of the last seven skirmishes.
Florida vs Vegas Recent Results
| Date | Home-Away | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/7/2023 | FLA 2 – VGK 1 | FLA | VGK | Under |
| 1/12/2023 | VGK 4 – FLA 2 | VGK | VGK | Under |
| 3/17/2022 | VGK 5 – FLA 3 | VGK | VGK | Over |
| 1/27/2022 | FLA 4 – VGK 1 | FLA | FLA | Under |
| 2/22/2020 | VGK 5 – FLA 3 | VGK | VGK | Over |
Vegas has made the final by winning each series in 5, 6 and 6 battles, while Florida has won in 7, 5 and 4.
Panthers vs Golden Knights Pick & Prediction
Bettors believe that Vegas will draw first blood, with 76% of moneyline bets placed on them thus far. That’s an implied win probability of 54.3%. Our model has this Panthers vs Golden Knights game going the home team’s way 3.65-3.41.
Of note, in ten all-time battles, a puck line winner has been secured in seven instances. Florida’s road record has been exceptional and they come in on a ten-day break. The under is 7-0 in the Panthers’ last seven as an underdog.
Even though Adin Hill’s numbers have been slightly better than Sergei Bobrovsky’s, Bob has been standing on his head and has earned being Conn Smythe favorite for a reason. It’s a toss-up, so grabbing the value on the underdog is enticing.
Pick: Florida Panthers Moneyline (+105), Under 5.5 Goals (-105)
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Michael "Hound Dog" Harrison is well known in the sports industry as the resident statistician for the SC with Jay Onrait Show. He has worked at TSN for over 16 years, where he's been featured on Sportscentre, That's Hockey, That's Hockey 2Nite, The Masters preview shows, and several more.
