NHL Stanley Cup Final 2023: Top Comments Following Golden Knights vs. Panthers Game 4

One victory is all that stands between the Vegas Golden Knights and their first Stanley Cup title following a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers in Saturday's Game 4.

The Western Conference champs return home Tuesday with the hopes of wrapping up their momentous playoff run and hoisting the most coveted prize in hockey and, as forward Chandler Stephenson told reporters after the victory, they know what is at stake.

"It's different. It'll be a different game than the other ones. It's a lot more emotion, a lot more everything. Everyone knows what's going to be there. [We'll] just try to play. Lot of emotion. Being at home too, everyone is going to be into it. Emotions will be high, adrenaline [pumping]. All the cliches. Everyone is going to be ready," he said.

The franchise itself understands the enormity of the situation, too.

Five years ago, the still-new organization watched the Washington Capitals celebrate on the ice in Las Vegas having just defeated the Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Finals, 4-1. There is an opportunity to right that wrong, to head back to the same site of their greatest heartbreak, and share the ultimate celebration with their fans.

Even with the possibility that they can wrap things up and achieve the childhood dreams of so many on the team, there is an understanding that there is still work to be done.

"[Winning a Cup] is the ultimate goal in hockey. So, there's no way you can shut that off in your mind. You're thinking about that but at the same time it's just staying in the moment and focusing on the next play, the next shift," goalie Adin Hill said after the game.

Focus will be key because as we have seen in these 2023 playoffs, Florida has a history of coming from behind and shocking the hockey world.

"It's nice that obviously we did it before, so the belief's got to be there. That's the only way out of this. Obviously, we're in a hole, but I like our chances to get back," defenseman Brandon Montour said after Game 4. "We've got a fight in this group and guys are desperate to win these next ones."

Winger Matthew Tkachuk, deliverer and receiver of some of the biggest hits this postseason and one of the tone-setters for the Panther squad, echoed those sentiments.

"Just go out there, win one game and force them to come back to Florida. That's pretty much the message in this room. Same thing with Boston. Boston had packed it up and moved on to the next round when we played them. So, we just thought short term, get it back to Florida."

Belief and confidence in one's self and teammates may be immensely important but the raw emotion and energy that will fill the T-Mobile Arena Tuesday night will be unlike any the team has experienced to this point.

They have done the unthinkable before, against a historically great Bruins squad, but this is a Golden Knights organization that has come close before and has scratched and clawed its way back here with the intent of erasing the disappointment of 2018 and giving the young franchise its first taste of immortality.

Barring a letdown, that goal should be achieved.