NHL Stanley Cup Final 2023: Odds, Hot Takes, Top Storylines for Game 5

The Vegas Golden Knights are one win away from capturing their first Stanley Cup.

Vegas' all-around performance has been too much for the Florida Panthers to handle throughout the four games of the Stanley Cup Final, and more of the same could be on display Tuesday night inside T-Mobile Arena.

Vegas is in position to clinch because it got off to a fantastic start in Game 4 by scoring the first three goals.

The Knights scored first in two of their three wins, and they won the race to two goals in all three of their victories.

Florida's task could get even harder if Matthew Tkachuk is unable to play. He was not seen skating at practice on Monday after he played 16 minutes and 40 seconds in Game 4.

The Panthers need a well-rounded effort to stay alive for Game 6 with or without Tkachuk, but if he can't play, or is not 100 percent, the team's other top skaters need to play far better than they have so far in the series.

Game 5 Odds

Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

SUNRISE, FL - JUNE 10: Vegas Golden Knights right wing Reilly Smith (19) and Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (15) skate during Game Four of the NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Florida Panthers on June 10, 2023 at the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Money Line

Vegas (-170; bet $170 to win $100)

Florida (+145; bet $100 to win $145)

Puck Line

Vegas (-1.5; +155)

Florida (+1.5; -180)

Over/Under: 6

Florida Needs Supporting Cast to Show Up

Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 10: Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers is congratulated by his teammates at the bench after scoring a goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period in Game Four of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final at FLA Live Arena on June 10, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

Florida needs its supporting cast to play its best game of the postseason Tuesday.

The Panthers might be without Tkachuk, who is dealing with an upper-body injury.

Panthers head coach Paul Maurice told reporters Monday that an update on Tkachuk would come Tuesday night, per ESPN.com's Greg Wyshynski.

It makes perfect sense that Maurice would not reveal Tkachuk's status publicly to keep Vegas guessing, but internally he and his staff have to be coming up with plans to approach Vegas with or without the team's superstar.

Tkachuk enters Game 5 tied for the Florida team lead in goals and points in the series. It would be a massive blow if he can't play, but even if he does, he can't shoulder all of the scoring pressure.

Florida has seven other players in the series with two or three points. That is nowhere close to Vegas' seven skaters with at least three points and four of them with at least five points.

Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe should be the three players Florida looks to right away to make an impact in front of Adin Hill's net.

Those three skaters have 46 playoff points between them, and if they can stun Vegas at the start and pepper Hill's net with shots, there is a chance Florida sends the series back home, but it will be an even tougher task to do so with Tkachuk not at 100 percent.

Vegas Overwhelms Florida Again

Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

SUNRISE, FL - JUNE 10: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (7) moves the puck during Game Four of the NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Florida Panthers on June 10, 2023 at the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Vegas mastered the art of the overwhelming start in the series.

The Knights pounced on the Panthers for the first three goals of Game 4, starting with Chandler Stephenson's first-period tally.

Vegas has been doing everything in the series that Florida must do to stay alive in Game 5.

The Knights have a balanced approach with different players stepping up each night. Stephenson stole the spotlight in Game 4 with the first two goals of the contest.

The Western Conference champion held a four-goal lead in Game 2, its last home win, before Florida attempted to pull itself back into the contest.

The only real test provided by Florida in a Vegas win came in Game 1, when the teams were tied after two periods. The Knights went on to score three unanswered goals in the third period.

Vegas doesn't need to change anything with its approach, and another early multi-goal advantage is possible, especially if Florida presses a bit due to its must-win situation.

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