2023 Stanley Cup Finals Betting Odds, Predictions

By Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief Updated: 07 June 2023

Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief

Blake Roberts is the founder of Betting.US and is currently heading the creative team as Editor in Chief. Born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Blake is a great sports fan, with football and basketball being his favorite. He’s our trusted voice for all betting-related matters.

See Full Bio

Game 1 Recap

Vegas Golden Knights beat Florida Panthers 5-2 in Game 1 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals, thanks to an excellent third period. The 5-2 scoreline might suggest this was a one-sided game, but the reality couldn’t have been more different.

There wasn’t much between the two sides in the early minutes of the match before Eric Stall gave Florida Panthers the lead 10 minutes into the game. Goalies Sergei Bobrovsky and Adin Hill were busy right from the start, with the Knights’ Hill making one of the saves of the season in the match.

The Panthers looked like they would end the first period with a 1-0 lead, but some excellent teamwork from the Knights allowed Jonathan Marchessault to level the scores three minutes before the end of the first period.

There wasn’t much between the two sides in the first period, and it was more of the same in the second, but a moment of quality a little over 10 minutes into the second period of Shea Theodore helped the Knights take the lead for the first time in the game. Theodore showed off his excellent ball-handling skills before taking an unstoppable shot from range.

The Panthers kept pushing for the equalizer and were rewarded for the same 10 seconds before the end of the second period Anthony Duclair forced a shot past Adin Hill’s legs. The second period ended with the teams level at 2-2, and the score reflected just how tight the game was then.

The Golden Knights looked up for it in the third period. They upped the pressure, and the Panthers ultimately conceded seven minutes into the third after Zach Whitecloud found the corner from range. Mark Stone added another seven minutes later to make it 4-2; this was a slightly contentious goal, but it was given.

In their attempts to push for a third goal, the Panthers let Reilly Smith score into an empty net, so the match ended 5-2. It was a disappointing result for the Florida Panthers, who went toe-to-toe with the Vegas Golden Knights for most of the game, but the Knights’ quality – from back to front – showed up when they needed it the most.

Vegas Golden Knights vs Florida Panthers Prediction

Game 1 felt like a teaser of how this series will play out. Both teams have been fantastic all season and fully deserve their place in the finals. Vegas are new to the league but have already got finals experience. They have topped their division this season, whereas the Florida Panthers have beaten some top teams en route to the final, like the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Carolina Hurricanes.

The Golden Knights have so many threats, as evidenced in Game 1, which is why they’ve got the edge over the Panthers in the bookmakers’ eyes. The Panthers have a trump card in Matthew Tkachuk, who has scored 21 points in the playoffs. The Golden Knights kept him quiet in Game 1, but we feel like he’ll erupt at some point. The question is: will he erupt often enough to win the Panthers the series? We don’t think so.

There isn’t a lot between the two sides as far as value is concerned. The Florida Panthers have got slightly worse odds, so picking the Vegas Golden Knights shouldn’t be an issue. The first match showed that the Golden Knights aren’t likely to sweep the series, but they can win matches in many ways, which is why they’re the favorites. They didn’t start the game in the best fashion, but goalie Adin Hill turned up. Two of their goals came from moments of individual brilliance, which is often the difference in games like this. The finest of margins matter and the Golden Knights have had it all season.