NHL Schedule Released

Well, we can start circling the dates right now. The National Hockey League has released its schedule for the 2023-24 season. There's already some excitement in the air for the games on the schedule. Don't worry, we will drop the full schedule for the three teams we focus closely on here on the show, the Islanders Rangers and Lightning. First things first, here's some of the key dates and matchups from the rest of the league.

Opening Night triple header on ESPN:
October 10th: Predators @ Lightning 5:30, Blackhawks @ Penguins 8PM (Bedard vs Crosby), and Kraken @ Golden Knights (Cup Banner raising in Vegas)

October 24th: All 32 teams playing on the same night at the same time.

October 30th: Panthers @ Bruins (first meeting since Florida major playoff upset)

December 12th: Chicago @ Edmonton (Bedard vs McDavid)

December 23rd: Vegas @ Florida (Cup Finals Rematch)

Outdoor Games:
January 1st: Winter Classic Golden Knights @ Kracken (T-Mobile Park in Seattle)
NHL Stadium Series February 17th: Flyers @ Devils (Metlife Stadium)
NHL Stadium Series February 18th: Rangers @ Islanders (Metlife Stadium)

Now here's the schedule for the teams we cover on this show

OCTOBER
Oct 14 vs Buffalo7:30 PM
Oct 17 vs Arizona 7:30 PM
Oct 20 vs New Jersey 7:30 PM
Oct 21 @ Buffalo 7:00 PM
Oct 24 vs Colorado 8:00 PM
Oct 26 vs Ottawa7:30 PM
Oct 28 @ Columbus 7:00 PM
Oct 30 vs Detroit 7:30 PM

NOVEMBER
Nov 2 @ Washington 7:00 PM
Nov 4 vs Carolina 7:30 PM
Nov 7 vs Minnesota 7:30 PM
Nov 9 @ Boston 7:00 PM
Nov 11 vs Washington 7:30 PM
Nov 13 @ Edmonton 8:30 PM
Nov 15 @ Vancouver 10:30 PM
Nov 16 @ Seattle 10:00 PM
Nov 18 @ Calgary 7:00 PM
Nov 22 vs Philadelphia 7:30 PM
Nov 24 @ Ottawa 7:30 PM
Nov 25 vs Philadelphia 7:30 PM
Nov 28 @ New Jersey 7:00 PM
Nov 30 @ Carolina 7:00 PM

DECEMBER
Dec 2 @ Florida 6:00 PM
Dec 5 vs San Jose 7:30 PM
Dec 7 vs Columbus 7:30 PM
Dec 9 vs Los Angeles 7:30 PM
Dec 11 vs Toronto 7:00 PM
Dec 13 vs Anaheim 7:30 PM
Dec 15 vs Boston 7:30 PM
Dec 16 @ Montreal 7:00 PM
Dec 19 vs Edmonton 7:30 PM
Dec 20 @ Washington 7:30 PM
Dec 23 @ Carolina 7:00 PM
Dec 27 vs Pittsburgh 7:30 PM
Dec 29 vs Washington 7:30 PM
Dec 31 @ Pittsburgh 6:00 PM

JANUARY
Jan 2 @ Colorado 9:00 PM
Jan 4 @ Arizona 9:00 PM
Jan 6 @ Vegas 10:00 PM
Jan 9 vs Vancouver 7:30 PM
Jan 11 vs Toronto 7:30 PM
Jan 13 @ Nashville 8:00 PM
Jan 15 @ Minnesota 5:00 PM
Jan 16 @ Winnipeg 8:00 PM
Jan 19 @ Chicago 8:30 PM
Jan 21 vs Dallas 7:30 PM
Jan 23 vs Vegas 7:30 PM
Jan 25 @ Montreal 7:00 PM
Jan 27 vs Florida 7:30 PM

FEBRUARY
Feb 5 @ Toronto 7:00 PM
Feb 8 vs Tampa Bay 7:30 PM
Feb 10 vs Calgary 1:00 PM
Feb 13 vs Seattle 7:30 PM
Feb 18 vs Rangers 3:00 PM (Stadium Series @ Metlife)
Feb 20 @ Pittsburgh 7:00 PM
Feb 22 @ St. Louis 8:00 PM
Feb 24 vs Tampa Bay 12:30 PM
Feb 26 @ Dallas 8:00 PM
Feb 29 @ Detroit 7:00 PM

MARCH
Mar 2 vs Boston 3:00 PM
Mar 5 vs St. Louis 7:30 PM
Mar 7 @ San Jose 10:30 PM
Mar 10 @ Anaheim 8:00 PM
Mar 11 @ Los Angeles 10:30 PM
Mar 14 @ Buffalo 7:00 PM
Mar 16 vs Ottawa 12:30 PM
Mar 17 @ Rangers 1:00 PM
Mar 19 vs Carolina 7:30 PM
Mar 21 @ Detroit 7:00 PM
Mar 23 vs Winnipeg 1:00 PM
Mar 24 vs New Jersey 5:00 PM
Mar 28 @ Florida 7:00 PM
Mar 30 @ Tampa Bay 7:00 PM

APRIL
Apr 1 @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Apr 2 vs Chicago 7:30 PM
Apr 4 @ Columbus 7:00 PM
Apr 6 vs Nashville 7:30 PM
Apr 9 vs Rangers 7:00 PM
Apr 11 vs Montreal 7:30 PM 
Apr 13 @ Rangers 12:30 PM
Apr 15 @ New Jersey 7:00 PM
Apr 17 vs Pittsburgh 7:00 PM

OCTOBER
Oct 12 @ Buffalo 7:00 PM
Oct 14 @ Columbus 7:00 PM
Oct 16 vs Arizona 7:00 PM
Oct 19 vs Nashville 7:00 PM
Oct 21 @ Seattle 10:00 PM
Oct 24 @ Calgary 9:45 PM
Oct 26 @ Edmonton 9:00 PM
Oct 28 @ Vancouver 10:00 PM
Oct 30 @ Winnipeg 7:30 PM

NOVEMBER
Nov 2 vs Carolina 7:00 PM
Nov 4 @ Minnesota 8:00 PM
Nov 7 vs Detroit 7:30 PM
Nov 9 vs Minnesota 7:00 PM
Nov 12 vs Columbus 7:00 PM
Nov 18 @ New Jersey 7:00 PM
Nov 20 @ Dallas 8:00 PM
Nov 22 @ Pittsburgh 7:00 PM
Nov 24 @ Philadelphia 1:00 PM
Nov 25 vs Boston 1:00 PM
Nov 27 vs Buffalo 7:00 PM
Nov 29 vs Detroit 7:30 PM

DECEMBER
Dec 2 @ Nashville 4:00 PM
Dec 3 vs San Jose 6:00 PM
Dec 5 @ Ottawa 7:00 PM
Dec 9 @ Washington 7:00 PM
Dec 10 vs Los Angeles 7:00 PM
Dec 12 vs Toronto 7:00 PM
Dec 15 vs Anaheim 7:00 PM
Dec 16 @ Boston 7:00 PM
Dec 19 @ Toronto 7:00 PM
Dec 22 vs Edmonton 7:00 PM
Dec 23 vs Buffalo 7:30 PM
Dec 27 vs Washington 7:00 PM
Dec 29 @ Florida 7:00 PM
Dec 30 @ Tampa Bay 7:00 PM

JANUARY
Jan 2 vs Carolina 7:00 PM
Jan 4 vs Chicago 7:00 PM
Jan 6 @ Montreal 7:00 PM
Jan 8 vs Vancouver 7:00 PM
Jan 11 @ St. Louis 8:00 PM
Jan 13 @ Washington 1:00 PM 
Jan 14 vs Washington 1:00 PM
Jan 16 vs Seattle 7:00 PM
Jan 18 @ Vegas 10:00 PM
Jan 20 @ Los Angeles 10:30 PM
Jan 21 @ Anaheim 8:30 PM
Jan 23 @ San Jose 10:30 PM
Jan 26 vs Vegas 7:00 PM
Jan 27 @ Ottawa 7:00 PM

FEBRUARY
Feb 5 vs Colorado 7:00 PM
Feb 7 vs Tampa Bay 7:00 PM
Feb 9 @ Chicago 8:30 PM
Feb 12 vs Calgary 7:00 PM
Feb 15 vs Montreal 7:00 PM
Feb 18 @ Islanders 3PM (Stadium Series @ Metlife)
Feb 20 vs Dallas 7:00 PM
Feb 22 @ New Jersey 7:00 PM
Feb 24 @ Philadelphia 3:00 PM
Feb 25 @ Columbus 6:00 PM
Feb 28 vs Columbus 7:00 PM

MARCH
Mar 2 @ Toronto 7:00 PM
Mar 4 vs Florida 7:00 PM
Mar 9 vs St. Louis 7:30 PM
Mar 11 vs New Jersey 7:00 PM
Mar 12 @ Carolina 7:00 PM
Mar 14 @ Tampa Bay 7:00 PM
Mar 16 @ Pittsburgh 3:00 PM
Mar 17 vs Islanders 1:00 PM
Mar 19 vs Winnipeg 7:00 PM
Mar 21 @ Boston 7:00 PM
Mar 23 vs Florida 8:00 PM
Mar 26 vs Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Mar 28 @ Colorado 9:00 PM
Mar 30 @ Arizona 6:00 PM

APRIL
Apr 1 vs Pittsburgh 7:00 PM
Apr 3 vs New Jersey 7:30 PM
Apr 5 @ Detroit 7:00 PM
Apr 7 vs Montreal 7:00 PM
Apr 9 @ Islanders 7:00 PM
Apr 11 vs Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Apr 13 vs Islanders 12:30 PM
Apr 15 vs Ottawa 7:30 PM

OCTOBER
Oct 10 vs Nashville 5:30 PM
Oct 15 @ Ottawa 7:00 PM
Oct 14 @ Detroit 7:00 PM
Oct 17 @ Buffalo 7:00 PM
Oct 19 vs Vancouver 7:00 PM
Oct 21 vs Toronto 7:00 PM
Oct 24 vs Carolina 7:00 PM
Oct 26 vs San Jose 7:00 PM
Oct 30 vs Seattle 7:00 PM

NOVEMBER
Nov 2 @ Columbus 7:00 PM
Nov 4 @ Ottawa 7:00 PM
Nov 6 @ Toronto 7:00 PM
Nov 7 @ Montreal 7:00 PM
Nov 9 vs Chicago 7:00 PM
Nov 11 vs Carolina 7:00 PM
Nov 14 @ St. Louis 8:00 PM
Nov 16 @ Chicago 8:30 PM
Nov 18 vs Edmonton 4:00 PM
Nov 20 vs Boston 7:00 PM
Nov 22 vs Winnipeg 7:00 PM
Nov 24 @ Carolina 3:00 PM
Nov 27 @ Colorado 9:00 PM
Nov 28 @ Arizona 9:00 PM
Nov 30 vs Pittsburgh 7:00 PM

DECEMBER
Dec 2 @ Dallas 2:00 PM
Dec 4 vs Dallas 7:00 PM
Dec 6 vs Pittsburgh 7:00 PM
Dec 7 @ Nashville 8:00 PM
Dec 9 @ Seattle 10:00 PM
Dec 12 @ Vancouver 10:00 PM
Dec 14 @ Edmonton 9:00 PM
Dec 16 @ Calgary 10:00 PM
Dec 19 vs St. Louis 7:00 PM
Dec 21 vs Vegas 7:00 PM
Dec 23 @ Washington 7:00 PM
Dec 27 vs Florida 7:00 PM
Dec 30 vs Rangers 7:00 PM
Dec 31 vs Montreal 7:00 PM

JANUARY
Jan 2 @ Winnipeg 8:00 PM
Jan 4 @ Minnesota 8:00 PM
Jan 6 @ Boston 7:00 PM
Jan 9 vs Los Angeles 7:00 PM
Jan 11 vs New Jersey 7:00 PM
Jan 13 vs Anaheim 7:00 PM
Jan 18 vs Minnesota 7:00 PM
Jan 20 @ Buffalo 12:30 PM
Jan 21 @ Detroit 5:00 PM
Jan 23 @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Jan 25 vs Arizona 7:00 PM
Jan 27 vs New Jersey 7:00 PM

FEBRUARY
Feb 7 @ Rangers 7:00 PM
Feb 8 @ Islanders 7:30 PM
Feb 10 @ Columbus 7:00 PM
Feb 13 @ Boston 7:00 PM
Feb 15 vs Colorado 7:00 PM
Feb 17 vs Florida 5:00 PM
Feb 19 vs Ottawa 7:00 PM
Feb 22 vs Washington 7:00 PM
Feb 24 @ Islanders 12:30 PM
Feb 25 @ New Jersey 1:00 PM
Feb 27 @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Feb 29 vs Buffalo 7:00 PM

MARCH
Mar 2 vs Montreal 7:00 PM
Mar 7 vs Calgary 7:00 PM
Mar 9 vs Philadelphia 7:00 PM
Mar 14 vs Rangers 7:00 PM
Mar 16 @ Florida 6:00 PM
Mar 19 @ Vegas 10:00 PM
Mar 21 @ San Jose 10:30 PM
Mar 23 @ Los Angeles 10:30 PM
Mar 24 @ Anaheim 8:30 PM
Mar 27 vs Boston 7:30 PM
Mar 30 vs Islanders 7:00 PM

APRIL
Apr 1 vs Detroit 7:00 PM
Apr 3 @ Toronto 7:00 PM
Apr 4 @ Montreal 7:00 PM
Apr 6 @ Pittsburgh 1:00 PM
Apr 9 vs Columbus 7:00 PM
Apr 11 vs Ottawa 7:00 PM
Apr 13 @ Washington 5:30 PM
Apr 15 vs Buffalo 7:00 PM
Apr 17 vs Toronto 7:00 PM

Perfect Night In Oakland

Twenty Seven up, twenty seven down. A perfect game. Something that doesn't happen often. 319 times in baseball history we've seen a no hitter, 24 times of which have been a perfect game. Number twenty four was thrown last night in Oakland. Domingo German of the New York Yankees took 99 pitches to throw his perfect game, an 11-0 win by the Yankees.

This marks the 4th perfect game in Yankees history behind Don Larson in 1956 vs Brooklyn (World Series), David Wells vs Minnesota in 1998 and David Cone vs Montreal in 1999. It's the 13th No Hitter in Yankees history, and the first Yankee no hitter since Corey Kluber threw one on May 19th 2021 against Texas. The catcher in both the Kluber game and this German perfect game? Kyle Higashioka. It was also the first perfect game in baseball since Felix Hernandez threw one on August 15th, 2012 in a win over the Rays.

And this had been the first good start for German against Oakland, as he'd gone winless in his last six starts against the A's. Oh yeah, and he had been shelled giving up ten runs in three and two thirds inning against Seattle in his last start. German needed just 99 pitches to strike out nine and not allow a baserunner the entire night. And this is the same pitcher who got suspended earlier this year for using too much rosin on his hands in a game against the Blue Jays.

It was a night to remember for German who has been an average at best at times this season, but its one of those nights where everything was going right for the right hander. He had movement on his pitches and managed to throw under 100 pitches for the night, which is rare for this day and age.

The last no hitter thrown in baseball was in the playoffs last year, Houston throwing a combined no no against the Phillies. Last regular season no hitter was June 25th last year and the Yankees got no hit. They lost on a combined no hitter against Houston.

Congratulations to German on throwing his perfect game!

NHL hands Out Hardware

It's the acknowledgement of great individual efforts in a team sport. The best of the best from the 2023 NHL season were on hand in Nashville last night for the NHL Awards. All the big hardware was given out last evening and lets see who walked away with what.

All Rookie Team:
Forwards: Matty Beniers (Seattle), Wyatt Johnson (Dallas), Matias Marcelli (Arizona)
Defense: Owen Power (Buffalo), Jake Sanderson (Ottawa)
Goalie: Stuart Skinner (Edmonton)

All Star Teams:
1st Team:
Forwards: Jason Robertson (Dallas), Conor McDavid (Edmonton), David Pastrnak (Boston)
Defense: Adam Fox (NY Rangers), Erik Karlson (San Jose)
Goalie: Linus Ullmark (Boston)

2nd Team:
Forwards: Artemi Panarin (NY Rangers)< Leon Drisital (Edmonton), Matthew Tkachuk (Florida)
Defense: Hampus Lindholm (Boston), Cale Makar (Colorado)
Goalie: Ilya Sorokin (NY Islanders)

Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award (U.S.): Jason McCrimmon, Detroit Ice Dreams Youth Hockey Association

E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence: Connor Bedard, Regina Pats (WHL)

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins

Frank J. Selke Trophy: Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins

King Clancy Memorial Trophy: Mikael Backlund, Calgary Flames

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings

Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award: Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning

Ted Lindsay Award: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

 Jack Adams Award: Jim Montgomery, Boston Bruins

Calder Memorial Trophy: Matty Beniers, Seattle Kraken

Vezina Trophy: Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins

James Norris Memorial Trophy: Erik Karlsson, San Jose Sharks

Hart Memorial Trophy: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

Now for the biggest questions of the night, did they get the award winners right? And the answer is a yes from where I sit. Sure, in years past we've had debates over who should have won what. Yes, there are cases that you could make for this years awards too. Ullmark had a fantastic year in between the pipes for Boston, and nothing against Hellebuck in Winnepeg or Sorokin on Long Island, but his 40 wins really helped push Ullmark over the edge. For those guys, Ullmark and Soroking, some have debated online who should have finished higher in Vexzna voting based on where they finished in MVP voting. Sorokin got more votes for MVP than Ullmark did. Ullmark had the better wins and total goalie numbers which is why he won the top honors there. Sorokin got more votes for MVP because if you take them both out of their respective team lineups the Bruins are still a really good team without Ullmark, whereas the Isles aren't without Sorokin, even with Ullmark having the better numbers.

Sticking with MVP talk, you could have throw Tkachuk name a little higher in voting, because of the impact he had on turning the Panthers had the second half of the season, and Pasta had a great year in Boston as well. But there was really no debate here McDavid was the MVP. 60 goals, 153 points. Nobody even close to his level. He's one of only six players in league history to ever have 150 or more points in a single season. McDavid joins Bernie Nichols (150 in 1989), Steve Yzerman (155 in 1989), Phil Esposito (152 in 1971), Mario Lemieux (four times: best 199 in 1989) and Wayne Gretzky (nine times: best 212 in 1986). Eye popping numbers to read that's for sure

Hockey Hall Calls Again

Hall of famer. Its a special phrase amongst athletes. It means that you had a career that was better than most. Game of hockey is no different. The class of 2023 has been announced for this year and its a pretty good class too. This year, the committee selected Henrik Lundqvist, Tom Barrasso, Mike Vernon, Caroline Ouellette and Pierre Turgeon in the player category, as well as Ken Hitchcock and Pierre Lacroix in the builders category.

First, we go to the international stage, where Caroline Ouellette shined. She is one of three players, along with fellow hall of famer Hayley Wickenheiser as well as Jayna Hefford to win at least four Olympic gold medals. She scored 30 points over 20 tournaments, as well as representing Canada at 12 IIHF Women’s World Championships where she led the Canadian team to six gold medals and six silver medals, scoring 23 goals and 68 points in 59 tournament appearances.

Moving to the pro level, Pierre Turgeon had the most points of any player that was not elected to the hall this year. He was taken 1st overall in the 1987 entry draft and played 19 years in the league for Buffalo, the Islanders, Montreal, St. Louis, Dallas and Colorado. He finished his career having played in 1,294 games, racking up 515 goals, 812 assists for 1,327 points. He cracked the 100 point mark twice, scoring 106 with Buffalo in 1990 and his career high 132 points for the Islanders in 1993. They guy had a ton of offensive upside, and could have been so much more if it wasn't for the injury in the 93 playoffs.

Then we move to the men between the Pipes. Tom Barrasso took the league by storm when he came on  the scene in Buffalo. He joined the league in 1983 and won the Calder and vVezina in that first year, and later added two cups in Pittsburgh. By the time all was said and done, he won 396 games, most by an American at the time he retired, in a 19 year career. During that time he played in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and one year stints in Ottawa, Carolina Toronto and St Louis. He won 20 or more games 11 times, including two thirty win and a forty win season. He also holds the record for assists by a netminder with 48. He was a pretty good puck handler and had great reflexes to make the big saves when he needed.

The Stanley Cup twice was carried by Mike Vernon, 1989 in Calgary and 1997 in Detroit. He, like Barrasso, started his career in 1983 in Calgary and finished 19 years later after stops in Detroit, San Jose, and Florida. He won 385 games, 262 of which were as a Flame, 2nd most in team history. He had one of the best catching gloves in the game which helped propel him into the star relm with his hometown Flames.

Finally there's King Henrik, who spent his entire 15 year career on Broadway with the Rangers. He owns the team record with 459 wins. He never won hockey's ultimate prize in the Cup, but he's still done more than that on an international level. His career is drapped in Gold, as Lundqvist has won gold medals at the Olympics (2006), IIHF World Championship (2017), and IIHF World Junior Championship (2002). He also has an Olympic silver medal (2014), two World Championship silver medals (2003, 2004), and a third-place finish at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Some of the saves that I've seen Hank made are the stuff of legend and I'd only seen close to since Hasek was playing in Buffalo. Hank's desire to win was matched by few.

Vegas Meet Stanley

Six years is all it took. Six years after joining the National Hockey League, they have a title to show for it. the Vegas Golden Knights are your 2023 Stanley Cup Champions. Its an unconventional hockey market, and Vegas captured the biggest prize in the game in an unconventional manor.

Going into the series, the Panthers looked to be a tough opponent for Vegas, considering what the Panthers had been able to do over the previous three rounds. In the end, it looked like those previous three rounds had caught up with the Cats as they were outplayed during the course of the series Vegas had more of a jump in their step and the Panthers at times looked like they couldn't keep up. Like they were running around and not really playing their brand of hockey. Vegas got in their heads and came away with the victory in five games.

This win speaks to how well Vegas has been able to build their team and do it quickly. They made the finals their first year in the league in 2018, losing to the Capitals in five games. Nobody had expected that from a first year team. Vegas kept at it and built off that success. They made the playoffs every year but one in the teams existence, that being the 2021-22 season. They took advantage of a re worked expansion draft that some of their expansion brothers didn't have. Teams like Minnesota , Atlanta Columbus and Nashville had to pick from a slew of players who had a hard time getting big minutes with other teams in the league. The higher quality players weren't as as available to those teams as what Vegas had to pick from. So Vegas had a bit of a leg up early on.

To build off that, Vegas took those assets and were able to move pieces to find the right mix of guys to their roster and build this winning team. There's been some annoyance from fans of other teams in the league over Vegas winning and doing it as quickly as they managed to. Well I can tell you that this is a sign of Vegas management having a plan and making it work to that end goal of winning the cup. They made it work for that end goal. Other franchises have done the same thing it just takes longer to get the right mix in there.

Congratulations to the Golden Knights on winning the 2023 Stanley Cup

Stanley Cup Finals Preview

The time has finally arrived. We started this journey back in October with thirty two teams. Now here we sit with two teams left standing. And its two teams that are coming from non traditional hockey markets. Its the Florida Panthers taking on the Vegas Golden Knights.

This marks the 2nd finals appearance ever for the Panthers, who's only other trip to the finals was way back in 1996. They came in as the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. They beat the Bruins in seven, the Maple Leafs in five and finally the Hurricanes in four. As for the Vegas Golden Knights, they won the Pacific Division and are playing in the cup finals for the 2nd time in their six year history. In this playoffs, they got by the Jets in five, Oilers in six and finally the Stars in six.

Here are the dates and times for every game in the finals:
June 3 Florida Panthers 8:00 p.m. Vegas Golden Knights T-Mobile Arena 
June 5 Florida Panthers 8:00 p.m. Vegas Golden Knights T-Mobile Arena
June 8 Vegas Golden Knights 8:00 p.m. Florida Panthers FLA Live Arena
June 10 Vegas Golden Knights 8:00 p.m. Florida Panthers FLA Live Arena
June 13 Florida Panthers 8:00 p.m. Vegas Golden Knights T-Mobile Arena
June 16 Vegas Golden Knights 8:00 p.m. Florida Panthers FLA Live Arena
June 19 Florida Panthers 8:00 p.m. Vegas Golden Knights T-Mobile Arena

Its a battle of one team with plenty of finals experience against the other who hasn't. Florida has only three guys that have played in the finals before: Marc and Eric Staal and Carter Verhaeghe. Vegas has twelve guys on their roster who have been in the finals before.

What has me worried at the start of this series is the Panthers having over a week off between sweeping Carolina and the start of this series. The Cats are going to come out a bit sluggish at the start of this series, for which I see Vegas taking full advantage of to kickstart things. Plus, you also have to throw in the nervous factor as well for Florida. Only thr4ee guys have ever played on this stage before, so its kind of a big deal for the Panthers. There are some good going for the Panters right now. Sergei Bobrovsky is playing outstanding hockey in net, and they've had offensive heroics from Matthew Tkachuk. Both guys could be front runners for Florida for the Conn Smyth as MVP of the playoffs.

On the other side of the Ice, Vegas has been here before. This is the second time in just their sixth year in the league in the finals. They have half of their roster that has played on this level as well, not all of them here but they have done it before. Like Florida they've had hot goaltending and timely scoring. Aidin Hill has been outstanding over the last two rounds in net for Vegas. And when the Golden Knights need timely scoring, enter Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson.

That's why this series is a little tougher to pick because both teams seem to be pretty evenly matched heading into this final round. But at the end of the day I think experience wins out.

Pick: Vegas in 7!