Thursday’s Top Computer Pick
- Golden Knights ML (+110) at Bet365
The Vegas Golden Knights bring a 2-0 Stanley Cup finals series lead down to Florida for the next two games of the finals.
Will they emerge from the South as Stanley Cup champions? Or will the Panthers finally wake up in these finals and string together a win or two on home ice?
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Florida Panthers
Thursday, June 08, 2023 – 08:00 PM EDT at FLA Live Arena
Men Against Boys
The Florida Panthers seem to have hit their peak in the run up to these Stanley Cup finals as the first two games that took place in Las Vegas looked to be men against boys. The Vegas Golden Knights tore Florida apart in game two with a resounding 7-2 victory.
After the 5-2 loss in the opening game, it’s been 12 goals to 4 scored in the opening two games of the Stanley Cup finals series. With the Golden Knights looking so superior and strong right now, they will be eyeing up a 4-0 finals sweep. Teams leading the finals series 2-0 have a 93% success rate of winning the Stanley Cup.
Florida Look Cooked
The Golden Knights were better in every aspect of both games, controlling the game from start to finish both mentally, physically, and tactically.
The Florida Panthers overcame the previous three Stanley Cup favorites, which in itself deserves an award, but they seem to be falling at the last hurdle yet again, just as they did in 1996.
Following his heroics to get the Panthers this far into the playoffs, Sergei Bobrovsky was pulled from the net in game two and will likely start from the bench ahead of game three.
Vegas Golden Knights
- The Golden Knights are 36-20 ATS (+15.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
- The total has gone over in 4 of Vegas’ last 5 games.
- Vegas are 8-2 in their last 10 games.
- Vegas are 26-15 ATS (+7.9 Units) in a road game where the total is 6 or more this season.
Florida Panthers
- The Florida Panthers are 11-3 in their last 14 games.
- Florida are 13-21 ATS (-22.3 Units) in non-conference games this season.
- The Panthers are 21-17 ATS (+2.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
- Florida are 4-1 in their last 5 games at home.
Panthers Back at Home
The Florida Panthers might have the home advantage this time around, but will that make the difference? Florida does have a 4-3 post-season home record but did win one of their games after regulation and although a win is a win, the other three games were all decided by a one-goal winning margin, not exactly assertive victories.
It pains us to say it, but the Florida Panthers could be looking at a 3-0 series deficit come the end of game three. The Vegas Golden Knights seem to have them covered all over the ice, from puck luck to better goaltending and just wanting to win more in general.
Take Vegas as Underdogs
It’s hard to bet on the Panthers right now, they don’t seem to be in rhythm, can’t get past Adin Hill and are struggling with goaltender and penalty kill issues, if this was on home ice, Vegas would easily be -160/170, and we don’t believe being on the road is that much of a difference between their betting odds. Therefore, we believe +110 represents value right now on the Golden Knights moneyline and we would bet them down as low as -110.
Our computer predictions have gone 2-1 thus far during these Stanley Cup finals, and for game three they’re forecasting a 3-2 road victory. Given we believe the Golden Knights represent value, we are more than happy to take the dominant team at plus money to put both hands on the trophy and claim a victory for a 3-0 series lead.
OddsTrader Predicted Score: Golden Knights 3 – Panthers 2
NHL Pick: Golden Knights ML (+110) at Bet365
