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Now that the ultimate two groups of the NHL Playoffs have been decided, it’s time to make some 2023 Stanley Cup Finals predictions.
2023 Stanley Cup Finals predictions
At first, it appeared like we’d get sweeps in each the Japanese and Western Convention Finals. The Florida Panthers have been the primary to e-book their ticket to the finals, defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in 4 video games. The Vegas Golden Knights additionally led their sequence 3-0, however Dallas gained two straight earlier than the Golden Knights blew out the Stars in recreation six to advance.
For Vegas, that is their first time within the Stanley Cup Closing since their first season as an NHL franchise in 2018 after they misplaced to the Washington Capitals. That is Florida’s second time within the finals as properly, however their final look was all the best way again in 1996. With neither staff having gained a championship, we all know for positive that the successful staff will probably be lifting the Stanley Cup trophy for the primary time of their franchise’s historical past.
The Stanley Cup Finals schedule provides the Panthers numerous relaxation heading into recreation one of many finals. Florida could have had 9 days off between the top of the Convention Finals and the beginning of the Stanley Cup Finals on June 3rd. The Panthers will journey to Vegas for the primary two video games of the sequence, which is able to profit the Golden Knights, who could have simply 4 days off earlier than the beginning of the finals.
To get you prepared for what seems to be like an ideal sequence forward, listed here are just a few 2023 Stanley Cup Finals predictions.
Matthew Tkachuk will lead the sequence in factors
Matthew Tkachuk has been one of many best players this season, each within the common season and within the playoffs.
Within the Japanese Convention Finals, Tkachuk scored the extra time winner in video games one and two, assisted on the game-winning purpose in recreation three, after which scored the game-winning purpose as soon as once more in recreation 4.
I consider that for the Florida Panthers to come back out on high on this sequence, they’ll want Tkachuk to get on the scoresheet usually. He has confirmed that he can, registering 21 factors in 16 video games already this postseason. Though it is going to be exhausting to high the three game-winning targets he had within the final sequence, I predict Tkachuk could have essentially the most factors within the Stanley Cup Finals when it’s all mentioned and completed.
Panthers win their first Stanley Cup
Though the Vegas Golden Knights have been the higher staff within the common season and appear to be the higher staff on paper, I consider they won’t be able to cease the run the Florida Panthers have been on since taking place 3-1 to Boston within the first spherical.
After falling behind 3-1 towards the Bruins, the Panthers have misplaced only one recreation. Florida was not even alleged to make the playoffs, snatching the ultimate spot due to a Pittsburgh loss to Chicago, however now discover themselves 11-1 of their final 12 playoff video games.
The groups they’ve beat alongside the best way to the finals have made the run they’re on much more unimaginable. They beat Boston, who had the best common season in NHL historical past, then they took out the gifted Maple Leafs in 5 video games earlier than topping that by sweeping a robust Stanley Cup contender within the Carolina Hurricanes. You’ll be able to argue that every one three of the groups the Panthers have performed this postseason are higher than the Vegas Golden Knights.
Nonetheless, pretty much as good because the Panthers have appeared, I don’t see them getting previous Vegas as simply as they did Toronto and Carolina. What Vegas has that Florida doesn’t have is expertise. The Golden Knights have repeatedly made deep runs within the playoffs and know what it takes to win when it issues most. They don’t want one other nice playoff run to go to waste with no championship.
In terms of postseason hockey, momentum is an actual weapon. Regardless of Vegas being the higher staff, Florida has the stronger momentum coming into the sequence. I predict they’ll cap off their unimaginable run with a Stanley Cup championship, as I’ve the Florida Panthers defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in six video games.
Sergei Bobrovsky takes residence the Conn Smythe Trophy
A number of Florida’s success within the playoffs has needed to do with the play of Sergei Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky is 11-2 this postseason with a goals-against common of two.21. He collected his first profession playoff shutout in recreation three of the Japanese Convention Finals and at present has a .935 save share.
Bobrovsky has been standing on his head for almost all of those playoffs. He has confronted not less than 30 photographs in all however two video games he has began. Bobrovsky has truly been higher the extra photographs he has confronted, as he’s at present 8-0 when his opponents get not less than 35 photographs on purpose. The sport that stands out essentially the most is recreation one of many Japanese Convention Finals when Bobrovsky saved 63 of 65 photographs in a quadruple extra time victory.
Merely put, the Florida Panthers can not win this sequence with out Bobrovsky persevering with to play at this elite degree. Vegas has a high-flying offense able to scoring 5 targets on any given night time. If Bobrovsky can maintain them down for almost all of the sequence, the Panthers would be the staff to come back out on high, whereas Bobrovsky will win the Conn Smythe Trophy at 34 years previous.
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