Three Keys to Game 3 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final

Game 3 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final happens Thursday night between the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas took the first two games in dominating to grab a 2-0 series lead over the Panthers as the scene shifts to Sunrise, Florida.

Coming into the series, the Golden Knights were favourites and rightfully so. But there were some who picked the Panthers. Through the first two periods of Game 1, it was a close series. After that, the Golden Knights took over. The Panthers could never keep up. When Vegas wants to they can take over a game and series and end it quickly.

Florida loves to play physical, but it is hard to get a physical team off their game especially when the opponent is bigger than you are. And with Florida being so undisciplined and more worried about playing physically than scoring goals, the Golden Knights took advantage. Florida has to get back to the game that was on display in the first three rounds. But go back to the 10 days, Florida lost that edge.

The question is can Florida make this a series or will the Golden Knights make short work of them?

Let’s find out here as we take a look at three keys to Game 3 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final between Vegas and Florida.

2023 Stanley Cup Final: Keys To Game 3

1. Discipline

Plain and simple the Florida Panthers have to be more disciplined. Whether you agree or disagree with the penalties, the Vegas Golden Knights are not falling into that trap. Also, kill off the penalties and not complain. Not to mention the Golden Knights can play any style. And the Panthers are finding that out. If you want to mix it up they will. Not to mention, the Golden Knights can play physical with a speed game. It is all well and good to play physically, but crossing a line and taking dumb penalties will hurt your team.

Florida is finding out the hard way. The Golden Knights scored a power-play goal to open up Games 1 and 2 in Vegas. Their power play is starting to catch fire. Florida has to stay out of the box because that means their best players are not on the ice. Matthew Tkachuk loves to play that way. But he has taken two 10-minute misconducts in the first two games. This is the Tkachuk we saw in Calgary in the Edmonton series. He has to get back to the Tkachuk we saw in the first three rounds. Let the other guys handle that and worry about offence.

For Vegas, just keep playing your game and do not get involved in it.

Something to keep an eye on as Game 3 starts.

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2. Depth Scoring

Right now the Vegas Golden Knights are getting more depth scoring than the Florida Panthers. Through two games, the Golden Knights have nine different goal scores and Jack Eichel is not one of them. And that is something Vegas has been doing all playoffs long. You have no idea who will score next. Jonathan Marchessault is on a tear with 12 goals in 12 games including 10 in his nine games. But others are chipping in as well. Just look how Vegas to here. Did not matter the game or the night each line can chip in.

Vegas is not just about one individual driving the offence. They just have more depth than Florida. The Panthers need their depth scoring to step up if they want back in on this series. It can’t just be about Tkachuk. The Panthers need more from guys like Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Anthony Duclair, Carter Verhaeghe, Brandon Montour, Aaron Ekblad, and the list goes.

If Vegas continues to get the depth scoring this series will be over quickly.

3. Keep It Simple

The Golden Knights have shown they know how to play a simple game. Again it goes back to the beginning, they can play any style. Vegas played a simple and effective game on home ice. It was actually a road game but on home ice. Expect them to play a similar game on the road. But as we know surviving the start will be a key for the Panthers. Vegas can take over a game and the Golden Knights are 3-0 in Game 3s in the playoffs this year.

The Panthers have been in this position before, however, not against a team like this. For the Panthers to have a chance in this series, they must keep the game plan simple. Look at how the Devils got back in their series against the Rangers. But this is a different animal. Florida has to use the home crowd. If they find holes in the Vegas defensive system, they must exploit it. But Adin Hill has been equal to the task.

Again we can talk about goaltending and Sergei Bobrovsky needs to be better. But so does the whole team. Hopefully, the Panthers can learn from their mistakes and get back to their game. If not this could be a short series.

It will be interesting how these keys play out in Game 3 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. The keys of the first two games have played out to a T.