Vegas Golden Knights Roll In, Best Team to Face Panthers Thus Far

The Vegas Golden Knights headed east for the first time this season on an absolute heater, rolling into Sunrise to face the Panthers on Saturday riding a four-game winning streak.

The Panthers, meanwhile, are having a bit of a time right now, losing five of the past six.

Vegas will arguably be the best team the Panthers have played thus far.

Florida is 4-5 in its first nine games with Pittsburgh (12 points) and New Jersey (12) being the top squads it has run up against.

The Golden Knights are 5-0-2 and outscored Calgary and Carolina 10-2 in their past two wins before hopping on a plane for the cross-country trip to Fort Lauderdale.

Vegas has not played since Monday night and will be without captain Mark Stone who got hurt after scoring twice against Calgary on Saturday.

Stone was placed on LTIR.

“It’s an unfortunate loss,” Bruce Cassidy said per Vegas Hockey Now. “It’ll be a loss in every area. I mean, he touches the penalty kill, and obviously down low on the power play.”

Vegas remains one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup after it beat the Panthers in 5 during the 2023 Final.

The addition of former Toronto star Mitch Marner has been a nice addition with two goals and 10 points through the first seven games.

Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart’s former running mate in Buffalo, is also off to a terrific start with six goals and 16 points.

Eichel came into Friday leading the NHL with 16 points; Stone’s 13 was tied for second.

The Knights have been splitting the goaltending duties between Akira Schmid and Adin Hill.

Hill, however, got hurt on Monday night and will be out for a couple weeks it appears.

Schmid should start on Saturday.

Florida, meanwhile, is coming off a 5-3 loss to the Penguins on Thursday night — a game with a rough start but a strong push in the second half.

The Panthers have won their two home games against the Golden Knights since the 2023 Final, and are 3-1 overall.

ON DECK: GAME No. 10

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS at FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (Naples/FTM)
• Streaming: Panthers+; ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• This Season — At Florida: Saturday. At Vegas: Nov. 10.
• Last Season: Tied 1-1
• All-time Regular Season Series: Tied 7-7
• Postseason History — 2023 Stanley Cup Final: Vegas d. Florida 4-1
• Up Next for the Florida Panthers: Tuesday vs. Anaheim Ducks, 7 p.m.