Stanley Cup Final is finally set: Panthers face Golden Knights looking for first title
The final hurdle for the Florida Panthers to cross in their quest for a first Stanley Cup will officially be the Golden Knights.
After waiting nearly a week to find out their opponent, the Panthers will hit the road later this week to start the 2023 Stanley Cup Final in Nevada after Vegas beat the Stars, 6-0, in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals on Monday in Dallas to win the series 4-2.
Florida has been idle since Wednesday after beating the Hurricanes, 4-3, in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals to finish off a 4-0 sweep. The long layoff means the Panthers will go 10 days between games and have a five-day rest advantage on the Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final.
Neither Florida nor Vegas has ever won a Cup. The Panthers’ only other appearance in the Cup Final came in 1996 — in only their third season of existence — and the Golden Knights’ only other appearance came as an expansion team in 2018.
Florida split a pair of regular-season meetings with Vegas, with each team winning at home.
Game 1 is set for Saturday at T-Mobile Arena with Game 2 next Monday. The Panthers will host Games 3 and 4 next week in Sunrise, and will also hold a watch party at FLA Live Arena for Game 1 on Saturday.
Games 5 and 7, if necessary, would be back in Paradise, Nevada. Game 6, if necessary, would be in South Florida.
The best-of-7 series would stretch across two full weeks, if it goes the distance. All games will air on TNT.
Here’s the full schedule for the seven-game series:
- Game 1: Saturday, June 3; T-Mobile Arena, 8 p.m., TNT
- Game 2: Monday, June 5; T-Mobile Arena, 8 p.m., TNT
- Game 3: Thursday, June 8; FLA Live Arena, 8 pm., TNT
- Game 4: Saturday, June 10; FLA Live Arena, 8 p.m., TNT
- Game 5: Tuesday, June 13; T-Mobile Arena, 8 p.m., TNT (if necessary)
- Game 6: Friday, June 16; FLA Live Arena, 8 p.m., TNT (if necessary)
- Game 7: Monday, June 19; T-Mobile Arena, 8 p.m., TNT (if necessary)
This story was originally published May 29, 2023 at 10:39 PM.
