Stanley Cup Final: Florida Panthers vs. Vegas Golden Knights Game 5 Betting Preview & Picks

The Florida Panthers earned a split on home ice against the Vegas Golden Knights. Under normal circumstances, that would be an acceptable result, but not when they were already down two games to none in the Stanley Cup Final. Now, the Panthers are backed into a corner, needing to run the table.

Standing in their way is a stout Golden Knights squad that has bested them in virtually every facet of the game. Bettors can’t get enough of the Knights, and the confidence is well deserved.

• Location: T-Mobile Arena | Las Vegas, Nevada
• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET | TV: TNT, Sportsnet

Defensive zone coverage has been notably absent from all of the Panthers’ outings this postseason. Including overtime contests, Florida is getting torched for an average of 11.7 high-danger and 25.8 scoring opportunities per game.

Vegas has taken full advantage of that ineffective play, going north of 11 quality chances in all but one of these contests, exceeding 26 scoring opportunities in three of five. Those advantages could be even more pronounced with the series shifting back to Sin City. 

More importantly, the Golden Knights are capitalizing on those chances. The Western Conference Champions have recorded three or more goals at five-on-five in all but one of the Stanley Cup Final contests. Moreover, their overall output has increased, with Vegas totaling 17 goals through the first four games. We’re anticipating more of the same in Game 5.

• Spread: Panthers +1.5 (-182) | Golden Knights -1.5 (+150)
• Moneyline: Panthers +146 | Golden Knights -176
• Total: OVER 5.5 (-124) | UNDER 5.5 (+102)

Sergei Bobrovsky was going to return to Earth. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner has been on a downward trajectory since landing in the Sunshine State. His metrics have deteriorated year-over-year, compiling a forgettable .901 save percentage and 3.07 goals against average this season. 

The Russian netminder started the playoffs on the bench, with Florida deferring to career third-stringer Alex Lyon in the opening round. Give credit where credit is due; Bobrovsky exceeded expectations. He stabilized a porous defense and stole a few games en route to the final. However, Bobrovsky collapsed at the worst possible time.

• Golden Knights -172
• Mark Stone Any Time Goal Scorer +200

T-Mobile Arena has been a safe haven for the Golden Knights. Vegas finished the regular season tied for the seventh-most wins on home ice. They’ve built on that in the playoffs, taking eight of 11 outings as the hosts.

More Game 5 Player Props

As expected, offense has been the foundation of their success, with the Knights averaging 2.9 goals at five-on-five and 3.8 tallies overall in the playoffs. We’re projecting that surge to hold steady with Florida’s lackadaisical defense and ongoing regression between the pipes. 

Jonathan Marchessault gets a lot of credit for leading the Golden Knights this far, and rightfully so. Marchessault is the odds-on favorite (-600) to take home the Conn Smythe Trophy and has seven points. Still, we expect captain Mark Stone to deliver the knockout blow in a decisive Game 5. 

Stone has been an unstoppable force for the Knights. He ranks third on the team in postseason scoring, tallying six points in the final, four of which have come over the past couple of games. However, his advantages run deeper than that. The Knights’ captain has directed 13 shots on target, playing 19:28 or more in three of the four games. Stone spends time on the powerplay and starts 65.3% of his shifts in the attacking zone. 

Surely, Stone has reserved his best performances for the potential finale on Tuesday night. We’re backing him at +200 or better in the any-time goal-scorer market. If you’re feeling particularly reckless, he might be worth a sprinkle as the Conn Smythe Trophy winner a +3000.

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