Florida has its back against the wall as the series shifts back to its home ice. Vegas is up 2-0 in the series after runaway victories, what happens next? We have three betting predictions on the Stanley Cup Game 3 right here that you outta know about if you want to make money come Thursday.
- What: Game 3 of Stanley Cup Finals
- Who: Vegas Golden Knights at Florida Panthers
- When: Thursday, June 8
Preview Of Stanley Cup Finals Game 3
We can’t preview Game 3 of the Stanley Cup without mentioning what’s happened up to this point. We won’t mince words here: the Panthers are in trouble. It’s one thing to lose two road games, but it’s another to lose a pair of games like Florida did. Flat out, they were blown out in both Game 1 (5-2) and Game 2 (7-2). For once, the team looks like the eight seed it’s been all along.
How, or if, Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky responds dictates what happens in Game 3. His standout performance is probably the biggest reason Florida upset Boston, Toronto, and Carolina on its path here. Bobrovsky won 11 of 12 starts during that stretch, whilst recording a 1.95 goals-against average and .942 save percentage. But he’s looked the furthest from that in this series.
In under 87 minutes of action, Bobrovsky is giving up 5.52 GAA and .826 save percentage. Things got so bad that he was pulled in Game 2, though, he’s expected to stay in the lineup this next game. Still, Vegas is having its way with Florida. The 12 goals the Golden Knights have tallied is tied for most by a team through the first two games of the Cup Final since the NHL expansion era began in 1967-68. Yikes!
You can’t pin the goals all on Bobrovsky either. Credit is due for Vegas, which has been on an offensive tear most of the postseason. They’re averaging 3.9 goals per game in the postseason, the most in the league. That number would’ve beat the Oilers' league-high of 3.8 in the regular season. This Knights team is peaking at the right time and right place.
Best Bets For Game 3 of 2023 NHL Stanley Cup
There’s an array of bets available on Stanley Cup’s Game 3. However, we’ll be sticking to the classic with our betting picks — over/under goals and moneyline. Here’s who we’re backing in each:
Over/Under Goals
Given the offensive explosion we’ve seen from the Knights, it’s no surprise the over/under has been set at six goals by the top-used betting sites for NHL playoffs. Here’s how the odds shake out both ways:
We fully expect Vegas’ scoring ways to continue. As we eluded to before, this is no fluke and on-trend for the team during the playoffs. Jack Eichel, who has 22 points in 19 games, is the engine that makes this offense go. The Panthers have no answer for him down the middle. The supporting cast that flanks Eichel in the middle makes this group perhaps the best center quartets around.
Now the question becomes will Florida’s offense counter or get left behind a third straight game? Our money says counter. This is the first time the Panthers have lost consecutive games since Game 3 and 4 (on their own ice) to the Bruins, and we all know how that turned out (three straight wins). We expect a back-and-forth offensive flurry in this one so over is the bet to make.
Moneyline
Alright, who’s winning Game 3? As it stands, the oddsmakers are favoring the home team to win ever so slightly. Here’s how the Game 3 moneyline odds shake out:
On the surface, it may seem nothing good came out of Florida’s Game 2 loss by two goals. But they might’ve found something to capitalize off of in Game 2, and that’s rebounding. The two goals it scored, both in the third period, came off of rebounds. Vegas goalie Adin Hill has been near flawless outside of those missed stops, but you have to believe Panthers will try to exploit the only area they’ve found success in so far.
We just can’t count out Florida here — not after the Cinderella run they’ve been on. As mismatched as they’ve looked in two games, one has to remember we were saying the same thing in round one versus Boston. We carelessly bet against them there and learned our lesson. We will not be making the same mistake twice so Panthers is the pick to make here.
How To Bet On 2023 Stanley Cup Finals?
Ready to lock in the above Stanley Cup Finals bets? You should be if you’ve read this far. Well, here’s exactly how: visit one of the bookmakers listed below (any will do as they’re each rated high in our latest sportsbook reviews). Go to the NHL betting section and you’ll see every Game 3 line listed, even props we didn’t cover in this article.
But here’s the best part: if you use a lucrative sportsbook bonus, you could bet for free. That’s right, these deals are offering hundreds to thousands of dollars in free play and anything earned can be bet right away on the Stanley Cup.
