As the Vegas Golden Knights wrapped up a Game 4 victory over the Florida Panthers on Saturday night, the gloves came off and punches were thrown to end the intense skirmish in the battle for the Stanley Cup.
The Panthers were down 3-2 with about 17 seconds to go in the game and had the puck. Florida took a few shots but they were blocked and a scramble in front of the net occurred as the buzzer sounded. The Golden Knights would win the game but leave with some bumps and bruises.
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Panthers defenseman Josh Mahura, center, and Vegas Golden Knights center Chandler Stephenson fight during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals, Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Sunrise, Florida. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
A massive fight broke out in front of Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill, who also got involved. Fans added fuel to the fire as they tossed bottles and other trash onto the ice.
Chandler Stephenson scored twice for Vegas and William Karlsson had a goal to make the game 3-0 at one point. Brandon Montour and Aleksander Barkov both scored to add a little heat to the matchup.
FLORIDA REPORTER STIFF-ARMS GOLDEN KNIGHTS FAN ATTEMPTING TO INTERRUPT LIVE BROADCAST OF STANLEY CUP FINALS
Panthers center Aleksander Barkov is punched by Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb during the Stanley Cup Finals, Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Sunrise, Florida. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
“Obviously, that was a battle till the last second,” Golden Knights’ forward Nicolas Roy said afterward. “They pushed back there. We knew they would. They’ve been doing it all series. But it’s nice to get that one, for sure.”
Six penalties, including two unsportsmanlike conducts and two misconducts, were given over the scrum.
“I kind of felt my helmet get ripped off, and they had six guys on the ice, we had four, so get in there a bit and try and help out teammates,” Hill said. “I don’t know if there’s really a message to be sent. We’re just getting ready for (Game 5) Tuesday.”
Vegas Golden Knights center Chandler Stephenson celebrates after scoring during the Stanley Cup Finals, Saturday, June 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
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The series heads back to Vegas on Tuesday. The Golden Knights could clinch their first title.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
