The Florida Panthers and Las Vegas Golden Knights Faceoff Tonight In Game 1 Of The Stanley Cup Finals!

The Florida Panthers and Las Vegas Golden Knights Faceoff Tonight In Game 1 Of The Stanley Cup Finals!

The Panthers and Golden Knights will face off in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final beginning on Saturday, 8pm TNT, meaning one of the two “Sun Belt” teams will hoist its first-ever Cup.

It marks the seventh time in league history that both teams in the championship series are in pursuit of their first championship.

Coincidentally, with both teams in the Cup Final for a second time in franchise history, each of their previous trips to this stage came against a team which was also chasing its first Stanley Cup (2018: Capitals def. Golden Knights | 1996: Avalanche def. Panthers).

The teams combined for one victory in each of their previous Stanley Cup Final appearances, the 6th instance of a Final featuring two teams with a combined 1-or-0 wins in the title round.

Vegas (Las Vegas, Nevada) and Florida (Sunrise, Florida) make this the most southernmost Stanley Cup Final in NHL history as they will meet in the postseason for the first time.

Sorry to my friends up in New England and the Midwest.  I know seeing a stat like that hurts.  Particularly for my Boston Bruins friends. However, just keep telling yourselves that you might have lost to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions.  Works for me.

Approximately 2,161 miles as the crow flies separates Sunrise, Florida and Las Vegas. That’s the largest distance between two cities in the Stanley Cup Final since 2016 when there was 2,241 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks.

When the Panthers take the ice in Game 1, they’ll have gone 9 days without playing a game since the Conference Final. It will be tied for the 4th-longest break before playing in the Stanley Cup Final – only the 1919 Canadiens, 2019 Bruins and 2003 Ducks will have had more days rest before playing in the Stanley Cup Final. The 1919 Stanley Cup Final was canceled after 5 games because of the flu epidemic.

With all the rest, will the Panthers be at an advantage for the Cup Final over the Golden Knights who will have five fewer days to recuperate after the Conference Finals.

It worked for the Avalanche last season who had a five-day rest advantage against the Lightning prior to the 2022 Stanley Cup Final (eight days for Colorado, three days for Tampa Bay). But each of the nine champions prior to the Avs actually had less rest days than their opponents leading up to Game 1 of the Cup Final.

Pete's prediction for the series:  Florida Panthers in 7

Here are your Weekend Vibes, what’s happening in Southwest Florida June 2-4. According to the meteorological calendar it's the first weekend of summer as well as hurricane season. Now is the time to do some shopping and do it tax free. The state's disaster preparedness tax free shopping week is underway  to help you get you hurricane supplies in order. Click here to find out what is included and save some money this weekend.

It happens the first Friday of every month, Downtown Fort Myers Art Walk. Getting into downtown Friday, and all weekend long, is going to be a little more challenging than usual. US 41 is actually closing for construction, at the base of the 41 bridge all of the way to Linhart. There will be detours but these things are good to know in advance as traffic may be slower going that usual.

The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels are playing at home and have all kinds of special events to kick off the summer. They include free admission for kids, fireworks, concerts and more. Scroll down for details. Charlotte and Collier County public schools are out for the summer. Lee County students break this coming week.  Summer time is officially here.

This first weekend of June marks the beginning of another hurricane season and there is already tropical activity. It is kind of hard to think that it has been eight months since Hurricane Ian hit and parts of Southwest Florida are still wrecked. Life is still challenging for many many people. The loss is real. However, so is the recovery. If the beginning of this season is causing a rise in stress and anxiety for you, please make time to take care of yourself. Here are some resources that might help.

Finally, here are your Weekend Vibes, what’s happening in Southwest Florida June 2-4. Get out and have some fun this weekend.

The first Friday of the month, downtown Fort Myers comes alive with art. The galleries feature special exhibits, see artists in action and enjoy all kinds of activities. The event runs from 6-10.

The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels baseball games are free for kids Friday night to celebrate the end of school. In addition, they are giving out tickets to Sunsplash Water Park. Stay for the fireworks. Saturday fun includes  a concert after the game featuring Side Walk Prophets. The Mussels play the St. Lucie Mets.

This annual event is full of campy fun. Board a trolley, some with drag queens hosts, and travel from bar to bar. Each one features a different color cocktail to cover the spectrum of the rainbow. There is entertainment, music and fun for everyone. It is Saturday from 7-11pm.

This new festival promises to be cutting edge, quirky and entertaining. You'll see dancers, theater, music, and all kinds of entertainment on four stages all weekend long.  It kicks off Friday at the Lee County Alliance For The Arts on McGregor Blvd in Fort Myers. There are areas designated for kids as well. Ticket prices vary.

If you like bluegrass music, this three day festival is for you. Headlining the fun is Grammy Award winner Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder. Besides music there are food trucks, a pop up bar and a moonshine bar. It's Friday through Sunday, at Laishly Park in downtown Punta Gorda. Tickets start at $35