{"id":276237,"date":"2023-06-06T10:23:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-06T15:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=276237"},"modified":"2023-06-06T11:17:08","modified_gmt":"2023-06-06T16:17:08","slug":"vegas-golden-knights-win-game-2-stanley-cup-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/vegas-golden-knights-win-game-2-stanley-cup-final\/","title":{"rendered":"Vegas Golden Knights Take 2-0 Lead in Stanley Cup Final"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two down, two to go. The Vegas Golden Knights are only two games away from winning the NHL championship. That’s after they blew out the Florida Panthers in a 7-2<\/a> victory to win Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.<\/p>\n

\"Jonathan
Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault celebrates a goal in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. (Image: AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Golden Knights tied a franchise record for most goals in a playoff game with seven.<\/p>\n

The Panthers have been outscored 12-4 in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final. In the first three rounds, the Panthers allowed 2.6 goals per playoff game.<\/p>\n

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The series shifts to FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida for the next two games. The Panthers aren’t freaking out just yet. They already overcame a 3-1 deficit in the opening round to upset the top-seeded Boston Bruins.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Teams with a 2-0 lead have an overall series record of 38-3 in the Stanley Cup Final, including a 31-3 record in the expansion era.<\/p>\n

The parts of our game that we know that we can improve, we’re going to have to get to real fast,”<\/strong> said Panthers head coach Paul Maurice. “We’ll have a pretty simple game plan. I don’t think it’s about scoring goals in this series because it’s about defending the rush, and we weren’t great at that tonight.”<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Golden Knights are now -500 odds to win the series and hoist the Stanley Cup. The Panthers are the underdog to win the series at +400 odds.<\/p>\n

A 4-0 series sweep for the Golden Knights currently pays +300 odds.<\/p>\n

More Marchessault Magic<\/h2>\n

Jonathan Marchessault scored two more goals for the Golden Knights, and the winger also added an assist. He scored 12 goals in the playoffs, which is remarkable considering he was shut out in the opening round. He now has 10 goals in his last 10 playoff games, including three goals in the finals against his former squad.<\/p>\n

“They want to set the tone with being undisciplined like Game 1, and we set the tone back,” Marchessault said. “It was scoring that first goal there. But we\u2019re still pretty far from our goal here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marchessault is now the betting favorite to win the finals MVP, otherwise known as the Conn Smythe Trophy, at -105 odds.<\/p>\n

Center Brett Howden also scored twice in the victory. Michael Amadio, Alec Martinez, and Nicolas Roy also added goals. Centers Chandler Stephenson and Jack Eichel both added two assists. Forward William Carrier also assisted on two goals.<\/p>\n

Our depth has been a strength all year,\u201d<\/strong> said Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy. “It is the biggest reason we are still here, why we beat Winnipeg, Edmonton, Dallas. I just feel that we have the best team from player one through 20.”<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For a second straight game, a defenseman found the back of the net when Martinez scored late in the first period.<\/p>\n

The Golden Knights capitalized by going 4-for-11 on power plays in the Stanley Cup Final. They had an 18.5% success rate on power play opportunities in the first three rounds, and almost doubled that in the Stanley Cup Final at 36.4%.<\/p>\n

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