Three Keys to Game 2 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final

Game 2 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final happens tonight between the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas took Game 1 by a score of 5-2 to take a 1-0 series lead. This is a very evenly matched series as these two teams are very identical.

Towards the end of Game 1, you could the rust of being off for 10 Days hurt the Panthers as the Golden Knights wore them down physically. Vegas pressured the Panthers into turnovers and won so many puck battles and puck races to break open the game in the third period. Even the Panthers execution was off. The Golden Knights execution was off early and expect both teams to be better in Game 2.

Let’s find here as we take a look at three keys to Game 2 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final between Vegas and Florida.

2023 Stanley Cup Final: Keys To Game 2

1. Turnovers

Look every game will come down to goaltending and Adin Hill outperformed Sergei Bobrovsky in Game 1. This will be a matchup to watch in Game 2. But one of the reasons why the Golden Knights took Game 1 was because they won the turnover battle.

If you look at the game-winning goal off the stick of Zach Whitecloud, it was a poorly timed turnover in the offensive zone that led the Golden Knights to break out of their zone. Vegas was able to get a couple of opportunities before finally, Whitecloud broke a 2-2 tie. Then on the Mark Stone 4-2 goal, Matthew Tkachuk tries to just flip it out and Stone bats it down and scores. Head coach Paul Maurice was not happy with it. That turnover was a game-changer. Instead of being a one-goal game late in the third period, it is a two-goal lead. Much harder to break that defensive structure of Vegas.

While the Panthers aggressive forecheck was able to capitalize on some turnovers, the ones Vegas got led to goals. Again Adin Hill was strong between the pipes. Bobrovsky did his best, but Vegas just kept coming and winning puck battles. That foot race that was won by Brett Howden on the Stone goal forced Tkachuk to make a bad play leading to the goal.

Something to keep an eye on as Game 2 starts.

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2. Special Teams

Again special teams will be something to keep an eye on in Game 2. The Golden Knights were able to stay disciplined enough to where the Panthers power play could not score. Vegas’s penalty kill has gotten better as the playoffs have gone on. Again Hill remains their best penalty killer. So you have to wonder if the Panthers make any adjustments to the power play to expose a weakness.

As for the Panthers, they surrendered two power-play goals in Game 1 to Vegas. The tying goal in the first period by Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith’s empty net goal made it 5-2. Florida has to stay disciplined. It is good to be physical, but when it crosses a line it hurts the team. Now the Panthers did score shorthanded thanks to Eric Staal. Almost had another one by Sam Reinhart. Again Adin Hill was there to close the door.

But the special teams’ edge went to Vegas in Game 1. If that happens again, the Panthers might find themselves down 0-2.

3. Winning The Faceoff Battle

Both teams were pretty even when it comes to the faceoff circle. The Golden Knights had a 52.7 percent success rate, while the Panthers had a 47.3 success rate inside the dots. Early on it felt like Vegas was dominating the faceoff circle, but Florida took over in the second half of the game, especially in the 2nd period.

Vegas won 80 percent of the draws even strength in the first period. However, with Vegas on the powerplay Florida won 57 percent of the draws. However, in the second period, the even strength numbers flipped. It all started with an offensive zone draw with 10 seconds left in the second period. The Panthers won a key faceoff leading to the tying goal by Anthony Duclair. It was 2-2 after 40 minutes. From there the Panthers took off.

Winning draws especially on the powerplay is key. This allows a team to set up and control. If the shorthanded team wins the draw, they force the team with the man advantage to go chase and they can set up defensively.

We all know scoring first matters. But it does not matter much for either team. Both can back trailing 1-0. Getting the key saves will be important too. But winning the faceoff circle allows you to control the game.

It will be interesting how these keys play out in Game 2 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.