What to watch as Panthers take on Vegas for Stanley Cup
Watching an individual or team overcome seemingly incalculable odds is a big reason why sports captivate so many of us.
There are endless examples, but the best are known simply by their name.
The Miracle on Ice. The Immaculate Reception. The Music City Miracle. The Catch. The Shot.
Younger fans may need to look those up. The rest of us don't need YouTube or Google - the replays are crystal clear in our minds.
Other miraculous runs aren't defined by a single moment or game, instead taking place over the course of a few days, weeks or months.
And one is playing our before our eyes in the NHL as the Florida Panthers - with a serious assist from the Blackhawks - have gone on one of the sport's most epic runs to reach the Stanley Cup Final.
Game 1 is Saturday in Vegas.
The Panthers, who were 9 points out of the East's final wild-card spot in late December, won 12 of 18 games heading into the final week of the season. They still needed help, however - and got it when the spiraling Hawks somehow won 5-2 at Pittsburgh on April 11.
The Penguins, who then lost their season finale in OT at Columbus, finished with 91 points while the Panthers finished with 92.
It was a nice story but one that figured to end quickly against the big, bad Boston Bruins in the opening round. Instead, Florida hung tough and miraculously tied Game 7 when Brandon Montour scored with just 60 seconds remaining. The Panthers won in overtime and then eliminated Toronto and Carolina en route to their second-ever Cup Final appearance.
Not surprisingly, it figures to be difficult for the casual fan to get jacked up for this series. Many were hoping to see the Bruins take on the Avalanche or Oilers. Or perhaps Maple Leafs vs. Avs.
But unlike the NBA - where the same teams can dominate a 5- or even 10-year stretch - the NHL is as unpredictable as a roulette wheel.
Florida vs. Vegas may not get the juices flowing at first, but these teams are playing incredible hockey, which should make for a fantastic series. Let's take a look at some players to watch, including a few with ties to Chicago:
• The Panthers' Gustav Forsling is Exhibit A for the new Hawks regime on why it's moronic to give up too quickly on young defensemen. Forsling was thrust into action as a 20-year-old in Chicago in 2016-17 and played 122 games for the Hawks before he was traded to Carolina in exchange for Calvin de Haan and Aleksi Saarela on June 24, 2019.
One year later, the Panthers claimed Forsling off waivers, and he has turned into one of their top D-men, scoring 13 goals while averaging 23.5 minutes in the regular season.
After Florida eliminated Carolina on May 25 to advance to the Final, teammate Eric Staal gave Forsling the game puck for his outstanding play in the series. "We're not done yet," Forsling declared.
• Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky might be the Conn Smythe Trophy (MVP) favorite right now, having gone 11-1 with a .942 save percentage and 1.95 goals-against average since Game 5 of the opening round.
• Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk has put together back-to-back 40-goal seasons and is second in playoff scoring with 21 points. He scored the Game 7 OT winner against Boston and added 4 more goals (including the Game 1 winner in the fourth OT) against Carolina in the conference finals.
• Vegas' Jonathan Marchessault, who was left unprotected by Florida in the 2017 expansion draft after a 30-goal season, gets to face his former team. "You know what? I thought they were going to protect me," Marchessault told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "I was surprised by the decision. But I mean that's the way she goes sometimes. Keeps you honest." Marchessault has poured in 150 goals in 432 games for the Golden Knights during the last six seasons.
• One of the reasons to attend Chicago Wolves games is to check out players who may one day make a name for themselves in the NHL. (The Wolves are Vegas' AHL affiliate.) Three former Wolves are doing just that in these playoffs: Forward Keegan Kolesar and defensemen Nicolas Hague and Zach Whitecloud. The trio played a big role in the Wolves' 2019 run to the Calder Cup Final.
The 217-pound Kolesar was seventh in the NHL with 279 hits and figures send a few Panthers flying into the boards. Hague and Whitecloud, meanwhile, combined for just 8 goals but quietly do their job on the back end and are a big reason why Vegas has yielded just 22 goals in its last 10 games.
Stanley Cup Final
<b>Florida (42-32-8) vs. Vegas (51-22-9)</b>Advancement: Panthers eliminated Bruins in 7, Maple Leafs in 5, Hurricanes in 4
Golden Knights eliminated Jets in 5, Oilers in 6, Stars in 6
Head to head: Vegas won 4-2 on Jan. 12; Florida won 2-1 on March 7
The skinny: Vegas' biggest strength is its depth as the Golden Knights sport four incredible scorers in Jonathan Marchessault (28 goals), Jack Eichel (27), Reilly Smith (26) and Mark Stone (17 in just 43 games) and also come at you with Chandler Stephenson (16G, 49A), Michael Amadio (16G), William Carrier (16G in 56GP), William Karlsson (14G) and Nicolas Roy (14G). If any team is up to neutralizing this group, it is definitely the Panthers, who have been led by veteran goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Florida has eliminated three of the best teams in the league and looks to be a team of destiny. It'll be a tight, low-scoring series that is likely decided by which team makes the fewest mistakes.
Prediction: Panthers in 7
- John Dietz