The Florida Panthers pulled off a gritty 3-2 win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night at T-Mobile Arena, keeping their road trip momentum alive. It was a rematch of the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals, where Vegas had the last laugh, but this time around, the Panthers showed why they're back-to-back champs with some solid defense and timely scoring.
Brad Marchand was the star for Florida, stretching his goal streak to five games with a key tally and an assist. His hot hand helped the Panthers build a 2-0 lead early, and they hung on despite a late Vegas push. The Golden Knights, now sitting at 7-4-4, couldn't quite crack the code, dropping their third straight home game in the process. Tomas Hertl and Ivan Barbashev notched goals in the third period for Vegas, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.
Goaltending played a big role too—Carl Lindbom stopped 17 shots for the Knights, while Florida's netminder kept things tight. The Panthers improve to 8-7-1 and wrap their western swing at 2-2, heading home to face Washington next. Vegas, meanwhile, looks a bit shaky at home lately, especially after that overtime heartbreaker to Anaheim over the weekend.
For a team that's used to the spotlight, these close calls highlight how unpredictable the NHL can be, leaving fans to wonder if the Knights can turn things around before it's too late.
