Stanley Cup Final: 3 reasons why the Panthers will win and 2 reasons they won’t

Reasons why the Panthers will win: 2. Their offense, especially Matthew Tkachuk, has been potent

The Panthers offense has been unstoppable in the playoffs. They’ve been great in high-pressure situations, and they take advantage of the power play. The standouts for Florida have been Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov. Tkachuk is an aggressive player who creates space and is a strong skater. During the playoffs, he leads the team in goals with nine and in assists with 12. He has a 10 +/- and an 18.8% shooting percentage. Tkachuk has scored four game-winning goals this postseason. It will be difficult for the Golden Knights to stop Tkachuk.

Aleksander Barkov is a confident two-way player. The captain of the team has really taken off during the playoffs. After a slow start during the first round, he flourished in the next two rounds. He has four goals and 10 assists through 16 games. Three of his assists came on the power play. Even though Barkov hasn’t scored a ton of goals, he’s constantly moving the puck in the right direction. Barkov had an injury scare during the Eastern Conference Final, where he left the game with a lower-body injury, but he came back strong in the next game and picked up right where he left off.

Several players have had impressive offensive output during the playoffs. Tkachuk has 21 points, Carter Verhaeghe has 15 points, and Barkov has 14 points. Tkachuk has scored four power play goals, and Sam Reinhart has scored three. Offensive defenseman Brandon Montour has scored six goals. Sam Bennett has seven assists, with three of them during a power play. The Panthers are strong on the rush and great at creating chances. This team is gritty and doesn’t back down.