The Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights meet Saturday in game 1 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final at the T-Mobile Arena. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.

Florida Panthers Betting Preview

The Florida Panthers are averaging 3.13 goals per game and are scoring on 27.9 percent of their power play opportunities. Matthew Tkachuk leads Florida with 9 goals, Aleksander Barkov has 10 assists and Brandon Montour has 59 shots on goal. Defensively, the Florida Panthers are allowing 2.69 goals per game and are killing 71.2 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Alex Lyon has given up 9 goals on 92 shots faced, and Sergei Bobrovsky has allowed 33 goals on 504 shots.

Vegas Golden Knights Betting Preview

The Vegas Golden Knights are averaging 3.65 goals per game and are scoring on 18.5 percent of their power play opportunities. William Karlsson leads Vegas with 10 goals, Jack Eichel has 12 assists and Jonathan Marchessault has 62 shots on goal. Defensively, the Vegas Golden Knights are allowing 2.65 goals per game and are killing 63 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Laurent Brossoit has given up 23 goals on 216 shots faced, and Adin Hill has allowed 21 goals on 333 shots.

Trends

The Panthers are 16-5 in their last 21 road games and 18-6 in their last 24 overall. The Golden Knights are 18-6 in their last 24 home games and 28-11 in their last 39 overall. The under is 8-1 in Panthers last 9 overall. The over is 12-5 in Golden Knights last 17 home games. The Panthers are 0-5 in the last 5 meetings in Vegas and 2-5 in the last 7 meetings. The favorite is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings. The home team is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings.

Randy’s Pick

The Vegas Golden Knights are going to get the benefit of the doubt because they’re at home, and they have the scoring depth to possibly shake up Sergei Bobrovsky. However, we’re getting plus money with the more rested team and the team that’s won 10 of their last 11 games overall and 8 straight road playoff games. The Florida Panthers have been too good in these playoffs to turn down in the plus money role. The Panthers have won 9 straight playoff games as an underdog. Give me the road dog.