The 2023 Stanley Cup Final may not be the matchup many fans expected, but Game 1 certainly didn't disappoint. It was just as chippy as anticipated and a close game throughout. The series stays in Vegas for Game 2 after each team gets Sunday to rest. The Knights would love to get out to a 2-0 lead before going on the road, while the Panthers will be looking to steal Game 2 before heading back home to South Beach. These teams split their 2 regular season games, so will they split the first 2 of the Stanley Cup Final? We're here to help answer that with our Panthers vs Golden Knights Same Game Parlay.
Along with our Panthers vs Golden Knights Same Game Parlay, be sure to check out all of our NHL picks for the Stanley Cup Final.
Florida Panthers ML (+116)
The Panthers magical run may have hit a speed bump in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, but that certainly doesn't mean it's over. While the final score (5-2) may not look like a tight game, it's quite misleading. Florida and Vegas traded goals back-and-forth and the game was tied halfway through the 3rd period. After a Zach Whitecloud goal for the 3-2 lead, there was a baseball swing goal by captain Mark Stone and an empty-net goal that made the score seem more lopsided than the game truly was.'
Therefore, we're comfortable backing Florida, even on the road. Let's not forget how incredible they've been to get to this point. They became the 3rd team in NHL history to eliminate 3 of the top 4 seeds. In fact, if they can get through Vegas, they'll make it 4 of the top 5 seeds. The Knights certainly deserve to be here, but they still aren't as tested as Florida. After all, they were able to cruise through the Winnipeg Jets while the Panthers were taking on the record-setting Boston Bruins. The toughness of Florida should lead the way now that Vegas won't have nearly as much rest heading into Game 2.