Stanley Cup Final: The Battle for the Middle

The Golden Knights and Panthers both came into the series knowing that the middle of the ice would be crucial to victory - and Vegas won that turf in Game 1.

LAS VEGAS - Playoff hockey is often won and lost in the trenches, and if you've been watching the Panthers and Golden Knights throughout the post-season, you may have noticed how effective both teams have been in tight. 

Whether it's taking away the middle of the ice in the defensive zone or causing havoc in front of the net in the offensive zone, Vegas and Florida now face each other in what will likely be a series involving a lot of trench warfare.

In Game 1, Vegas won the battle with the Golden Knights scoring two goals from above the hashmarks with traffic in front of star Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. 

"He's such an elite goalie so you have to make his life hard there," said Vegas' Jonathan Marchessault. "We know he's really good low so we have to get to the front of the net and we got a couple through there."

In cutting through the best teams in the Eastern Conference, the Panthers were able to keep a lot of dangerous shooters away from Bobrovsky - who in turn bailed out his team with remarkable play whenever necessary. 

Out in the West, Vegas sliced through a lot of opposing 'D' corps, perhaps most evident in their series-clinching blowout win over Dallas in the conference final. The Golden Knights bring a monster-sized defense corps to the table, so the stakes are high on both sides.

"Goals are scored net-front and they're scored between the dots," said Florida blueliner Marc Staal. "It's going to be the team that can limit those opportunities the best you can and try to create them as much as you can in front of their net. Our forwards work extremely hard and are so talented and we've been able to get inside on teams and cause havoc there so we'll try to replicate that. That's going to be the series. You make an adjustment after period 1, another after period 2, another after Game 1. We have to keep growing and learning as a team."

While this season has been a coming-out party for mobile defenseman Brandon Montour (and rightfully so), it's worth noting how well Florida's big men have played in their run so far: Staal, Radko Gudas and Aaron Ekblad have been incredibly effective in their own end.

"It's about limiting time and space and judging gaps early," Ekblad said. "Almost finding your gap in the offensive zone. A lot of times, you want to get up in that rush so you have the momentum to carry it back. That's what I like to do. It starts in the offensive zone - you get your gap there and make miniscule adjustments rather than big adjustments. For a big guy like me, I can't lose my speed because they'll beat me."

Vegas counters with some pretty big dudes themselves. In fact, their "smallest" defenseman is 6-foot-2, 194-pound Shea Theodore, while the largest is 6-foot-6, 214-pound Nic Hague. But they are acutely aware of how dangerous Florida's forwards have been.

"They do a good job of attacking the middle of the ice and exposing those areas," said Vegas D-man Zach Whitecloud. "Every team tries to do it, but different lines play together in different ways. They like to use the back of the net and that turns everyone's eyes away, which leaves guys available in the slot. So you have to find ways to manage. First of all, don't give them time and space. Then try to stay tight - and our structure usually allows that."

With marauders such as Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Nick Cousins on the prowl, it won't be easy, but the Panthers also have a knowing respect for their Redwood-sized opponents.

"Both goalies are playing so well, if they can see the puck they're going to stop it," said Florida's Sam Reinhart. "So it's a combination of moving around the zone, finding time to attack when you have the puck and when you don't. They're so big on the back end and they're so good at collapsing. That's what good defenses try to do and that's what we try to do - clog it up, make it difficult in front of the net. (Offensively) you find ways to spread them out, then come back and attack. It's going to be a heck of a challenge."

But one that could tip the balance of the series. Those who win the territory battle give themselves the best chance of getting those greasy playoff goals and therefore the chance to win the Cup. And both teams know it.

"It's huge," Bennett said. "We know they like to generate speed through the middle and they've got four centers that compete very well. It's going to be huge to eliminate that as best we can. And I'm sure they've done their research on our team as well."