The stage has been set for the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. The Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers are set to face off in a seven-game series starting on Saturday, determining the newest champion.
This will be a special series, with both franchises seeking their first-ever championship. The Golden Knights are back in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since their inaugural season in 2017-18, when they suffered a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals. The Panthers return to the Final for the first time since losing in four games to the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.
Not only will one of these two teams lift the Cup for the first time ever, but this will be the first playoff series between these two squads.
Both teams took different paths to get here. In the Eastern Conference, the Panthers upset the top-seeded Boston Bruins in seven games during the first round and things snowballed from there. Florida earned a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round before recording a 4-0 sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final.
As for the Western Conference, Vegas started off with a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets in the opening round. The Golden Knights then secured a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers before needing six games again to win an Eastern Conference Final over the Dallas Stars.
WynnBET’s betting odds essentially consider this series to be a toss-up, so we should be in store for a thrilling Stanley Cup Final.
2023 Stanley Cup Final Schedule
Game 1: Saturday, June 3, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 2: Monday, June 5, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Thursday, June 8, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4: Saturday, June 10, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5: Tuesday, June 13, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 6: Friday, June 16, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 7: Monday, June 19, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
2023 Stanley Cup Final Betting Odds
The Vegas Golden Knights are short favorites over the Florida Panthers at WynnBET. Vegas is -117 to win the series, while Florida is priced at -103. The series is expected to last six games, with the Over on 5.5 games priced at -189.
2023 Stanley Cup Final Prediction
I’m siding with the Golden Knights to put an end to the magical run by the Panthers. Vegas has been the more disciplined team this postseason and has really thrived in five-on-five scenarios. The Golden Knights are balanced, with six players having at least 14 points in the playoffs.
That depth and talent has been on display all season, when Vegas secured a top seed in the Western Conference. This team expected to be here all year long, unlike its surprise run during the inaugural season.
Now this series certainly won’t be easy, with Florida capable of pushing Vegas to the brink. But in the end, the Golden Knights should prevail and I’m willing to take the -117 series price when they should be priced closer to -130 to hoist the Stanley Cup.
2023 Stanley Cup Final Best Bet: Vegas to win series (-117)
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