With no time left on the clock in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, plastic helmets, gloves, clubs and rats littered the ice, the result of a fight that began in the final seconds of an emotional standoff.
For all the punching, shoving, and shoving that piled up in the melee, none of it changed the outcome: The Vegas Golden Knights are on the brink of winning their first Stanley Cup title.
Vegas held on to beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Saturday night, avoiding a rally that culminated in a final block and a late big save to take a 3-1 series lead in the Cup final.
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Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy yells during the second period of Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers, Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Sunrise, Fla. . (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
«Obviously, it was a battle down to the last second,» Las Vegas forward Nicolas Roy said. «They went back there. We knew they would. They’ve been doing it all series. But it’s nice to have that one, for sure.»
The Golden Knights can win the NHL championship at home on Tuesday night.
«We’ve played very well at home here in the playoffs, so you have to feel great going home with a 3-1 lead,» defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said.
Getting to this point was not easy.
Chandler Stephenson scored twice for the Golden Knights, and William Karlsson broke through to end his series goal drought to build a 3-0 lead. The Panthers scored twice: Brandon Montour on a pinball goal late in the second period and the first of Aleksander Barkov’s drive early in the third, to get it back.
But his recovery fell short and put Florida, the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and last team to qualify for the playoffs, on the brink of this unlikely streak coming to an end.
«We’ve earned the right to play our best hockey,» Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. «Where we’ve been strongest is at the most critical time. I think you’ll see.»
Trailing 2-1 in the series, Sergei Bobrovsky again nearly kept the Panthers afloat, stopping 28 of the 31 shots he faced and conceding goals when left out by teammates. At the other end of the ice, official goalkeeper Adin Hill made 29 saves for his 10th win since he intervened midway through the second round.
FLORIDA REPORTER GUNS GOLDEN KNIGHTS FAN TRYING TO DISRUPT LIVE BROADCAST OF STANLEY CUP FINALS
Vegas Golden Knights center Chandler Stephenson (20) celebrates after scoring a goal during the first period in Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers on Saturday, June 10. 2023 in Sunrise, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
«It’s a credit to him for being prepared when he got there a few series ago,» Pietrangelo said. «You have to be happy for him.»
The Golden Knights only need to win one more game to deliver a championship to Las Vegas in just their sixth year of existence, fulfilling owner Bill Foley’s goal of winning the Stanley Cup in that time frame. They reached the final in their inaugural season in 2017-18 before losing to Washington in five games.
Vegas has more talent and has certainly looked more poised for the spotlight this time around. Stephenson, who beat them five years ago as a member of the Capitals, and Hill were trade acquisitions, as were frontline center Jack Eichel and captain Mark Stone, who had two assists in Game 4.
A couple of original Knights players also helped them take the penultimate step to the top of the hockey mountain. Jonathan Marchessault assisted on Karlsson’s goal that made it 3-0, his 24th point that tied for the playoff lead in scoring.
So the Panthers made it interesting. Montour scored by landing the puck on the right skate of Brayden McNabb and then the right skate of Shea Theodore and got past Hill with 3:51 remaining in the second period and set up Barkov with a perfect pass from behind the net 3:50 In the third.
Without leading scorer Matthew Tkachuk for several at-bats, Florida continued to buzz around Hill and got a few more big saves from Bobrovsky to continue the pressure. A 6-on-4 lead of 17.4 seconds when veteran Las Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo put the puck on the glass provided some final chances, but failed to produce the team’s first power play goal of the series.
He also caused a scrum which resulted in six penalties, including two unsportsmanlike penalties and two misconduct.
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Jonathan Marchessault (81) joins in congratulating center William Karlsson (71) after Karlsson scored a goal during the second period in Game 4 of the Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup Finals the NHL against the Florida Panthers, on Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Amanecer, Florida (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
«I felt like my helmet was ripped off, and they had six guys on the ice, four of us, so go in a little bit and try to help your teammates,» said Hill, who threw a few punches as part of the melee. . «I don’t know if there’s really a message to send. We’re getting ready for (Game 5) on Tuesday.»
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That will be the last chance for the Panthers, who will have to replicate their first-round comeback from a 3-1 loss to Boston to prevent Las Vegas from taking it all.