Fansided

How Vegas outmuscled Florida in Game 4 to move within a win of their first Cup

By Marvin Azrak

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 10: Chandler Stephenson #20 of the Vegas Golden Knights is congratulated by Mark Stone #61 after scoring a goal against the Florida Panthers during the second period in Game Four of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final at FLA Live Arena on June 10, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 10: Chandler Stephenson #20 of the Vegas Golden Knights is congratulated by Mark Stone #61 after scoring a goal against the Florida Panthers during the second period in Game Four of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final at FLA Live Arena on June 10, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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SUNRISE, FLORIDA – JUNE 10: Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers is congratulated by his teammates at the bench after scoring a goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period in Game Four of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final at FLA Live Arena on June 10, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FLORIDA – JUNE 10: Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers is congratulated by his teammates at the bench after scoring a goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period in Game Four of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final at FLA Live Arena on June 10, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /

Stanley Cup Finals: Aleksander Barkov strikes back

In despair and in need of a break, the Panthers received life late in the second period when a shot from Brandon Montour deflected off the legs of Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore and into the net.

Then 3:50 into the third period, captain Aleksander Barkov scored, making it a one-goal game. Montour made a backhand pass through the crease to Barkov on the opposite side, who beat Adin Hill for his first point of the series.

Minutes later, Barkov almost notched his second goal to even the score, but he couldn’t push the loose puck across the line.

The Panthers were on their way. Just as they’ve done all postseason, they were going to pull off another miracle comeback. Only it wasn’t meant to be this time.

Stanley Cup Finals: Panthers Mathew Tkachuk battling through injury

Matthew Tkachuk missed 10 minutes in the third period due to a possible injury. He returned with five minutes left and almost played hero again. But this time, Hill made a sensational pad save, securing the victory for Vegas.

Tkachuk had zero points and only recorded three shots. It’s unclear what happened. But he wasn’t shooting during warmups, and he may still be banged up from a previous game where he left because of a concussion protocol after being bodied by Keeegan Kolesar.

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