Florida Panthers Have Value as Stanley Cup Finals Underdog

• The Florida Panthers are +110 underdogs to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup finals.
• This marks the fourth consecutive playoff series where the Florida Panthers are underdogs to a Stanley Cup favorite.
• The Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Carolina Hurricanes were all Stanley Cup favorites prior to their defeat to the Panthers.

LAS VEGAS – The Vegas Golden Knights hold -130 odds to defeat the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals. Florida and Vegas each search to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

2023 Stanley Cup Winner

• Vegas Golden Knights -130
• Florida Panthers +110

Since losing Game 4 against the Boston Bruins, the Florida Panthers have won nine straight games as an underdog in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Panthers have a surprising advantage playing on Vegas ice, as Florida is 8-1 on the road in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights won 75% of their road games but only 66% of their home games. The drop off isn’t much, but it opens the door for a surging Panthers squad that hasn’t lost on the road since their first 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs game on April 17.

The Panthers’ road success gives value to their +110 odds on legal betting sites to win the 2023 Stanley Cup.

Although trends support the Panthers winning Game 1, the best bet is on the under at 5.5 goals. Goaltenders Adin Hill and Sergei Bobrovsky each held opponents to two or less goals per game in their respective conference finals series.

Stanley Cup Finals Game 1 Betting Lines

Vegas Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill recorded two shutouts against the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals. The total went under 5.5 goals in 60% of the Golden Knights and Panthers Conference Finals games.

Sergei Bobrovsky is 11-2 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and is averaging 1.9 goals allowed in his last 10 starts. The Panthers’ netminder will need to continue his stellar play against a Golden Knights team that averages 3.65 goals per game.

Considering the Panthers success has been dependent on strong goalie play, its no surprise that Sergei Bobrovsky leads the Conn Smyth Trophy odds at legal NHL betting sites with +200 odds.