As the final whistle blew in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, the ice was littered with helmets, sticks, and plastic rats—a chaotic end to an emotional game. But despite the post-game melee, one thing was clear: the Vegas Golden Knights are now just one win away from their first Stanley Cup championship.
Vegas fended off a furious rally by the Florida Panthers, securing a 3-2 victory on Saturday night to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. A blocked shot and a key save in the closing seconds sealed the win, leaving the Golden Knights on the cusp of making history.
“That was a battle right up to the last second,” said Vegas forward Nicolas Roy. “They pushed hard like they have all series. But it feels good to come away with that win.”
The Golden Knights will have the chance to clinch the title on home ice Tuesday night.
“We’ve been strong at home throughout the playoffs, so we feel good going back with a 3-1 lead,” said defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.
Reaching this point wasn’t without its challenges. Chandler Stephenson led the way with two goals, and William Karlsson broke his scoring drought to give Vegas a 3-0 lead. The Panthers fought back, with Brandon Montour and Aleksander Barkov scoring to cut the deficit, but their comeback ultimately fell short.
Florida, the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed and the last team to make the playoffs, now faces the prospect of their improbable run ending.
“We’ve earned the right to play our best hockey,” said Panthers coach Paul Maurice. “We’ve been strongest when it matters most, and I believe you’ll see that.”
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky once again gave Florida a fighting chance, stopping 28 of 31 shots despite being left vulnerable on several occasions. Meanwhile, Adin Hill continued his impressive run in net for Vegas, making 29 saves to notch his 10th win since taking over mid-playoffs.
“He’s been ready for his moment, and he’s delivered,” Pietrangelo said of Hill.
The Golden Knights, now just one win away from their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, are fulfilling owner Bill Foley’s goal of winning the championship within the team’s first six years. This time, they look more prepared for the ultimate prize after losing in the Final during their inaugural 2017-18 season.
Stephenson, who won the Cup with Washington in 2018, and trade acquisitions like Jack Eichel and Mark Stone—who added two assists in Game 4—have made a significant impact. Meanwhile, original Knights like Jonathan Marchessault, who assisted Karlsson’s goal and led the playoffs with 24 points, have been pivotal in this deep playoff run.
But the Panthers weren’t ready to back down easily. Montour’s pinball goal late in the second period, followed by Barkov’s early third-period tally, made it a one-goal game. Missing star forward Matthew Tkachuk for stretches of the game, Florida continued to apply pressure, but Hill and the Vegas defense held firm.
A late-game 6-on-4 power play for Florida, after Pietrangelo was penalized for delay of the game, gave the Panthers a final chance. But Vegas’ penalty kill held strong, preventing Florida from scoring their first power-play goal of the series and triggering a post-whistle brawl involving Hill and multiple players.
“I felt my helmet get ripped off, and we had four guys to their six, so I had to jump in and help out,” Hill said of the scuffle. “There’s no message to send—we’re just focused on getting ready for Tuesday.”
The Panthers, facing elimination, will need to replicate their first-round comeback against Boston—where they came back from a 3-1 deficit—to stop the Golden Knights from lifting the Stanley Cup.