NHL Stanley Cup Final 2023: Top Comments Following Panthers vs. Golden Knights Game 2
The Vegas Golden Knights are two wins away from a championship following a dominant 7-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Monday night in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.
The Knights' 12 goals in this Final tie a record for the most through two games. The team has also seen nine players score goals, another postseason record.
Florida has proved resilient en route to ousting two favorites in Boston and Toronto, but the team will have to dig itself out of a hole against a red-hot squad that is toppling records in search of its first championship.
Players, coaches and analysts spoke on Monday's lopsided Game 2.
Marchessault's Hot Hand Fuels Las Vegas
"He's coming up big. And it's not just scoring goals, but scoring big goals in big situations," Vegas defenseman Alec Martinez told Dan Rosen of NHL.com.
Star forward Jack Eichel echoed that sentiment. "Marchessault's got a hot hand right now."
Marchessault has been the catalyst for the Knights' momentous run, scoring 12 goals in 12 games despite being shut out in the team's first seven. He's been at his best when the lights have been brightest and has his team in a position to stick the proverbial dagger in Florida.
He opened the scoring Monday in the first period and told reporters after the game: "They wanted to set the tone with like, being undisciplined like Game 1 and we set the tone back. It was scoring that first goal there, so I think it's all in our honor and we've done a great job so far. But I mean, we're still pretty far from our goal there."
Three different defensemen joined Marchessault in lighting up the goal, and Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy reflected on his team's greatest strength telling reporters:
"I think our depth has been a strength all year, and it is the biggest reason why we're still here, why we beat Winnipeg, Edmonton, Dallas and why we're ahead against Florida. I just feel that we have the best team from player one through 20."
The Golden Knights have repeatedly proved that they do not need one individual star to lead them to the title, but, rather, can thrive on contributions from everyone. That is unlikely to change suddenly and is a big reason they should hoist the Cup.
Can Florida Mount a Historic Comeback?
In 34 attempts during the expansion era, only three teams have ever come back after going down 2-0 in the Final to win the Stanley Cup.
Yet, as they proved in Round 1 of these playoffs when they stunned the hockey world by knocking off a historically great Bruins team in seven games, the Panthers are ready to become the fourth.
To do so, they must make adjustments, something their coach is very aware of.
"But, we'll have a pretty simple game plan. I don't think it's about scoring goals in this series, because I think it's about defending the rush. And we weren't great at that [Monday night]," Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said after Game 2.
The Panthers will also need a full game from Matthew Tkachuk, who was ejected from Game 1 and then found himself banished to the locker room late in Game 2 after picking up his second misconduct penalty of the night following a third-period scrum. He also received another misconduct in the second period because of a hit on Eichel.
"I think one of those misconducts I deserved but don't know about the other one," he said after the game.
The hit on Eichel was a hard, clean tone-setter. He has the ability to do that for the Panthers and has all postseason, but his absences at crucial points are untenable.
Not putting himself in a situation where the officials can hand him a misconduct—whether it is the right call or not—is something he will have to correct in time for Game 3 so he can help avoid a 3-0 deficit.
