We are now fifty eight days into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The last game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs was yesterday. That game was game five of the Stanley Cup Finals. This series is between the Wester Conference Champions Vegas Golden Knights and the Eastern Conference Champions Florida Panthers. The Golden Knights won game one, game two and four. The Florida Panthers won game three. The Vegas Golden Knights had the chance to win the Stanley Cup going into this game.
Going into game five of the Stanley Cup Finals the Vegas Golden Knights had a 3-1 series lead over the Florida Panthers after winning game one 5-2, game two 7-2, and game four 3-2. The Panthers won game three 3-2 in overtime. Game five started off with Golden Knights short handed goal. Mark Stone scored the opening goal. Nicolas Hague scored to add to the Golden Knights lead. The score was 2-0 Golden Knights after the the first period.
Aaron Ekbald scored early in the second period to get the Panthers within one goal. Alec Martinez scored to get the Golden Knights back up by two goals. Reilly Smith scored to make it a three goal lead for the Golden Knights. Mark Stone scored again to add to the Golden Knights lead. Michael Amadio scored late in the period to give the Golden Knights a five goal lead. The score heading into the third period was 6-1 Vegas Golden Knights.
Ivan Barbashev scored another for the Golden Knights. Sam Reinhart scored for the Panthers to give them a second goal. Sam Bennet scored to give the Panthers their third goal of the game. Mark Stone scored his third goal of the night to complee his hat trick. It has been a while since there has been a hat trick in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Nicolas Roy scored with just over a minute to go in the game to give the Vegas Golden Knights an insane lead. The final score was 9-3 Vegas Golden Knights. The Vegas golden Knights have defeated the Florida Panthers four games to one in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Vegas Golden Knights are now the 2023 Stanley Cup Champions.
The Reilly Smith goal that put the Golden Knights up 4-1 put this game, this series, and ultimately the Stanley Cup out of reach for the Florida Panthers. The Golden Knights didn’t let up in this game. They were on a mission. Like we have seen a lot from the Golden Knights they got up by two goals and didn’t give up their lead. For the Panthers they weren’t there in this game. They did nothing to stop the Golden Knights from scoring. They paid the price for it. I have heard a lot of blame on Matthew Tkachuk not playing for why the Panthers lost game five and ultimately the cup. To that I would say it is a team sport and while Matthew Tkachuk might have tipped a few games in the playoffs the Panthers way he was not carrying the team. It is a team game and if they couldn’t win it without hime then they were never going to win it.
The writing was on the wall in this series as soon as the Golden Knights took game two. The Panthers didn’t look like they could keep up with them. Game three being the only exception to that. Even then the Panthers had to win it in overtime not in regulation. The Golden Knights were on a whole other level from the Panthers and game five showed that. While there was no fighting in this series I still found it pretty entertaining. That incredible save Hill made and the countless stunning goals.
The Vegas Golden Knights finished the playoffs winning the ultimate prize in sports. They had the best season anyone could ask for. The Panthers despite losing in the Stanley Cup Finals had a great run. They over came more challenges than any other team in the playoffs. Them defeating the record setting Boston Bruins and gong on to become the Eastern Conference Champions will live on in history forever. At this point I don’t think the Bruins record can be brought up without bringing up the Panthers beating them. This was an incredible playoffs. I will be doing a full recap of the Stanley Cup Playoffs later.
The Vegas Golden Knights are the 2023 Stanley Cup Champions. The National Hockey League season has come to an end.
The Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Seattle Kraken, and New Jersey Devils advanced to round two. The Winnipeg Jets, New York Islanders, Minnesota Wild, Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, and New York Rangers were eliminated in round one.
The Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference Finals. The New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, and Seattle Kraken have been eliminated in round two.
The Carolina Hurricanes have been eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Florida Panthers have advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Dallas Stars have been eliminated in the Western Conference Finals. The Vegas Golden Knights have advanced to the Staley Cup Finals.
The Vegas Golden Knights have won the Stanley Cup. The Florida Panthers have been eliminated from the playoffs in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Zac Electrifly 
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