The Stanley Cup Final is usually highly entertaining, and this year’s has been no different.
The Vegas Golden Knights can clinch their first championship with a win over the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Florida has turned around a 3-1 series advantage before, and the Golden Knights blew the chance to win the Western Conference on home ice against the Dallas Stars last round. If you’re anxious about Vegas claiming the Cup, or don’t love its moneyline odds to do so, consider a prop wager for Game 5.
Here are a few props I like for Game 5, which could be the final game of the 2022-23 NHL season.
NHL odds used in this article are current as of Monday, June 12, at noon ET, from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Golden Knights vs Panthers Player Props • Game 5
Jonathan Marchessault: Anytime Goal (+105)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Marchessault is the favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy and has at least one point in every game in this series and nine straight dating back to Game 1 of the Western Conference Final.
But the right wing is a goal scorer and a streaky one at that, and although his four-game goal streak was snapped in Game 4, it’s safe to believe he’ll light the lamp in Game 5.
Take Marchessault to lock up the Conn Smythe Trophy with a goal as our NHL bet of the day.
Jack Eichel: Over 1.5 Blocked Shots (+150)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
So much has been made of Eichel’s offensive prowess that it would be easy to overlook how responsibly he has played while defending. The Golden Knights are an elite defensive team, with everyone buying in, especially Eichel, who has two-plus blocks in nine of Vegas’ 21 games, including each of the past two.
There’s no bad Golden Knights player to take in the blocked-shots category, since they had 30 in Game 4 and are averaging 24.25 shot blocks per game. But I’ll target Eichel at plus money as the pick.
Golden Knights vs Panthers Team Props • Game 5
Golden Knights: Win in Regulation (+105)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
If you read my Golden Knights vs Panthers prediction for Game 5, you know I think Vegas will win by multiple goals again. The Golden Knights have won 10 of 15 games by two-plus goals in these playoffs.
There is understandable angst about trusting the Golden Knights to win a two-plus goal game in the most important game of the year. But this is a solid plus-money hedge that will hit even if Vegas wins by more than a goal.
No team has won the Cup on a sudden-death goal since 2014, and the Panthers are 7-0 in games decided in overtime in these playoffs. If Vegas is going to win the Cup in Game 5, it’ll almost certainly have to do it in 60 minutes.
First Goal: Panthers (+105)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Despite the fact it is down 3-1, Florida has scored the first goal in two of the first four games. The Golden Knights have been an elite come-from-behind team, with eight of their 15 wins coming after conceding the first goal.
It’s often said the fourth game is the toughest to win, and although I predicted Vegas to ultimately win on home ice, I’d expect the Panthers to have the lead at some point in Game 5.
Whether you feel Florida will score first or win the race to two goals (+125), one should play out.
The Stanley Cup Final is usually highly entertaining, and this year’s has been no different.
The Florida Panthers rallied for a 3-2 overtime win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 in Sunrise and will look to even the best-of-seven series in Game 4 on Saturday.
If you’re anxious about picking a winner for the pivotal game, consider a prop wager, or one that isn’t tied to the final outcome.
Here are some prop wagers I like for Game 4 between Vegas and Florida.
Golden Knights vs Panthers Player Props • Game 4
Adin Hill: Under 29.5 Saves (-105)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Hill only needed to make 20 saves over 60-plus minutes in Game 3 — a contest the Panthers desperately needed to win. The Golden Knights are an elite road team, and one of the NHL’s best defensive teams, and should seek out a similar performance in Game 4.
Even if they don’t, 30 saves is a high bar to clear, especially with Vegas’ shot-blocking prowess. Hill has only stopped 30-plus in one of the previous four games and has only had to in seven of his 12 postseason starts.
Look for Hill to have another low-to-mid-20 save performance as our NHL bet of the day.
Jonathan Marchessault: Anytime Goal (+115)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Marchessault has scored in every game in this series, and even though the Golden Knights lost Game 3, he is now the clear frontrunner in Conn Smythe Trophy odds.
Marchessault is up to 14 goals in the playoffs, and the notoriously streaky right wing has struck in four straight games dating back to Game 6 of the Western Conference Final against Dallas.
I think goals will be at a premium in Game 4, but if you’re wagering on anyone to score, Marchessault is the one to pick.
Golden Knights vs Panthers Team Props • Game 4
Golden Knights: Win in Regulation (+165)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
It’s not that the Golden Knights are incapable of winning in extra time, but they’re playing an opponent that raises its game when extra time begins. With their 3-2 win in Game 3, the Panthers improved to 7-0 in games decided in overtime this postseason.
If you read my Vegas vs Florida prediction for Game 4, you know I think the Golden Knights will inch closer to the Stanley Cup. If they do, they’ll almost certainly do so with a 60-minute victory, just as they did in Games 1 and 2 at home.
Panthers: Under 2.5 Goals, Excluding OT (+115)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
The Panthers haven’t scored three goals in 60 minutes in this series and have only surpassed that mark in regulation in just one of their past 10 games. Vegas is an elite defensive team, and if Game 3 is any indication, Florida will want to win a 2-1 style of game.
I added the “Excluding OT" caveat so the wager will hit if the score is 2-2 after regulation. Florida has won 3-2 in overtime four times in the postseason.
The Golden Knights took a 2-0 series advantage with a 7-2 rout of the Florida Panthers in Game 2 on Monday. The series will shift to Sunrise, Florida for Game 3 on Thursday.
If you’re unsure about the final outcome for Game 3, consider a prop wager which isn’t tied to the outcome. Here are a few I like for game 3.
NHL odds used in this article are current as of Tuesday, June 6, at noon ET, from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Golden Knights vs Panthers Player Props • Game 3
Jack Eichel Anytime Goal (+140)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
The Conn Smythe Trophy odds indicate the race for playoff MVP is down to two men, Eichel and linemate Jonathan Marchessault. Marchessault has been scalding-hot, so taking him to score (+125) in Game 3 is a solid option as well.
But Eichel has been producing without lighting the lamp, leading Vegas in both playoff points (22) and sharing the lead with Marchessault for Cup Final points (4). Still, Eichel is a goal scorer, and he hasn’t lit the lamp since Game 5 of Vegas’ second-round series against Edmonton, a nine-game drought.
I’m looking at Eichel to score a goal in Game 3, perhaps even the game-winner. Take him to do so as our NHL bet of the day.
Golden Knights vs Panthers Team Props • Game 3
Panthers: First Goal (-115)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
If you read my Vegas vs Florida Game 3 predictions, you know I took the Golden Knights to take a 3-0 series advantage. But we still should see Florida’s best in what is essentially a must-win game on home ice.
The Panthers scored first in Game 1 before Vegas rallied, and the Golden Knights have conceded the first goal in 11 of their 19 playoff games and eight of their 14 victories.
I think Vegas will have to rally to win Game 3. Whether it scores first and loses the race to two goals, or surrenders the first goal then rebounds is uncertain.
But I’m taking Florida to net the first goal since the Golden Knights are giving the icebreaker a lot.
Race to 4 Goals: Neither (+135)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
The Cup Final has featured a frenetic pace, and the winning team has reached four goals in each of Florida’s past three games and five of the past six Vegas games.
Still, the Panthers need to tighten up defensively and in goal to remain in the series. Florida should be able to relax outside of the stress-inducing conditions of T-Mobile Arena and play a more disciplined game.
If it is going to take foolish penalties, the red-hot Golden Knights power play will continue to make it pay.
I think the winning team will get to three goals. But look for the teams to buck the trend and play a low-scoring, 3-2 type of game.
The Golden Knights took Game 1 with a 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers, snapping the Panthers’ eight-game road win streak. The Panthers have been resilient all postseason, especially on the road, and were in Game 1 until surrendering three third-period goals.
If you’re unsure which team will win Game 2 on Monday, consider a prop wager, or one not tied to the final outcome.
Here’s a glimpse at some prop wagers I like for Game 2 between Vegas and Florida.
NHL odds used in this article are current as of Sunday, June 4, at 10 p.m. ET, from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Golden Knights vs Panthers Player Props • Game 2
Shea Theodore: Over 0.5 Points (+105)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Theodore has three points in Vegas’ past three games and was an offensive star in the Golden Knights’ 5-2 win in Game 1. Theodore was one of three Vegas defensemen, along with Zach Whitecloud and Brayden McNabb, to record a point in Game 1, and he and Whitecloud each scored a goal.
It appears Vegas’ defense is going to be a big part of its offensive success in the Cup final, since Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is extremely hard to beat in tight. Given the fact Theodore plays big minutes, and is the lone defenseman on the Golden Knights’ top power-play unit, this plus-money prop looks like a great value.
Take the Vegas defenseman to get on the stat sheet again as our NHL bet of the day.
Anthony Duclair: Over 0.5 Points (+125)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Duclair has at least one point in three of Florida’s past five games and has one in nine of the Panthers’ past 13. He scored a goal in Game 1. Plus, Duclair is on Florida’s top line with Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe, which means he’ll have more time on ice to produce points.
If top scorers Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett are going to get caught up in extracurriculars, Florida will need someone else to produce points.
Look for Duclair to get in the mix.
Golden Knights vs Panthers Team Props • Game 2
Panthers Under 2.5 Team Goals Excluding OT (-115)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
I successfully projected this prop in Game 1, when Florida failed to surpass two goals in 60 minutes for the seventh time in the past eight games.
There’s a possibility Florida will play physically and do enough to beat Vegas goalie Adin Hill three-plus times. But Florida has won four of its six OT games by scoring two or fewer goals through 60 minutes, which is why I’ll advocate for the excluding overtime caveat.
Golden Knights Last Goal Excluding OT (-120)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
The Golden Knights have scored last in regulation in 11 of their 18 playoff games and have hit an empty net three times in the postseason. They are an elite defensive team and a superbly skilled squad too, which lends itself to tacking on in the third period.
Reilly Smith scored an empty-net goal in Game 1, one of the Golden Knights’ three third-period goals. Vegas will probably find a way to pull out a multi-goal win late again, and if it does it’s likely to be the team that scores last.
The Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers will each try to bring home their first Stanley Cup championship. The teams split their two head-to-head meetings in the regular season and will also have lengthy layoffs, which makes picking this series difficult, especially for Game 1 on Saturday.
If you’re unsure about the Finals result but want to get in on the action, try a prop wager.
Here are some props I like for Game 1 between Florida and Vegas.
NHL odds used in this article are current as of Thursday, June 1, at DraftKings Sportsbook at 10 a.m. ET.
Golden Knights vs Panthers Player Props • Game 1
Jack Eichel: Anytime Goal (+120)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
The Golden Knights offense enters the Cup final on a bona fide roll, averaging 3.64 goals per game in the postseason. But Eichel has been quiet lately, nursing a seven-game goalless drought that included the Western Conference Finals against Dallas.
But this is the NHL championship series, and big players need to come up big in big moments. Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy will undoubtedly develop a plan to get Eichel away from Florida shutdown center Aleksander Barkov, especially with the last-change advantage.
Plus, the line of Eichel, Ivan Barbashev, and Jonathan Marchessault has been red-hot despite the fact Eichel hasn’t lit the lamp.
Eichel was second on the team in goals in the regular season (27) and is tied for fourth in the playoffs (6). He’s too good of a goal scorer to be held down for much longer.
If you’re looking a prop to include for a Panthers vs Golden Knights same-game parlay for Game 1, be sure to add Eichel anytime goal, too.
Aaron Ekblad: Over 1.5 Blocked Shots (-110)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Typically it is Vegas that is renowned for its shot blocking, but Ekblad has quietly had an exceptional playoff, especially keeping shots away from goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. The No. 1 pick of the 2014 draft is averaging 1.66 blocked shots per game and has logged at least two in Florida’s past two.
The Golden Knights are having an average of 15 shots blocked per game in the postseason, and Ekblad is playing about 25 minutes per game.
You can’t go wrong with Ekblad’s shot-block prop — or hard-nosed veteran Marc Staal‘s Over 1.5 (+100). But Ekblad’s is more likely to hit based on his enhanced ice time.
Golden Knights vs Panthers Team Props • Game 1
Golden Knights: Win in 60 Minutes (+120)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
There’s a high probability of Florida being rusty, which means the Golden Knights should take advantage early. Bobrovsky has been exceptional but also prone to bouts of inconsistency, which unfortunately I think will come out in this series.
But the longer the Panthers stay in Game 1, the greater likelihood the series swings in their favor. Florida has won eight straight on the road in the postseason and is a perfect 6-0 in overtime, which means it is comfortable in each situation.
If Vegas is going to win Game 1, it is likely to do so in regulation, so we have a strong case for this NHL best bet.
Panthers: Under 2.5 Goals In Regulation (-115)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Vegas will win in comfortably in regulation, but this is a slight hedge in case the game gets to overtime. Florida’s offense has been opportunistic but was a little spotty in the Eastern Conference final vs Carolina — though the Hurricanes’ stinginess no doubt played into that.
Still, Florida has scored two or fewer goals in regulation in six of its past seven games, dating back to Game 4 of the second round against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Golden Knights are also one of the stingiest teams in the sport, with solid goaltending in journeyman Adin Hill, and have surrendered two-or-fewer regulation goals in four of their past five games.
(Read more about how I’m trusting their goal suppression in my Golden Knights vs Panthers best bets for the series and Game 1.)
Florida has been adept at winning low-scoring games along the lines of 3-2 or 2-1. It could do so again in Game 1.
