We went 0-for-2 in our Stanley Cup playoffs predictions for the conference finals, of course: now what? We’ve picked against the Florida Panthers in every round so far, yet here they are in the Finals with a 12-4 postseason record. Why would we pick against them now? Well, because they’re facing a superior team—again—in the championship: the Vegas Golden Knights. While we did okay for the first two rounds …

Yeah. Vegas is better in the maths department, and the Golden Knights are better in the regulation-wins department. Vegas also posted 111 points this season, compared to just 92 for the Panthers. Alas, here we are again—the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference against the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. So, logic and numbers tell us that the Golden Knights should win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup title. Right?

Hmmm. Florida’s scoring differential over an 82-game season was just plus-17 goals. Yet it’s been plus-8 goals in just 16 playoff games, which factors in six overtime wins (and no losses) among nine 1-goal victories (against just one loss). Somehow, the Panthers are finding a way to win no matter what. That reeks to us like “Team of Destiny” time … also taking us back to the 1993 postseason, in truth. Do we ignore that?

We also will point out that the Florida goaltender, Sergei Bobrovsky, won our Vezina nod twice (2013, 2018). At age 34 this season, he was pretty mediocre (3.07 GAA), but he clearly has found his youthful inner self in the postseason (2.21 GAA). Usually, the team with the hot goalie ends up hoisting the Cup in the end of it all. We can’t ignore that kind of historical trend in the sport of professional hockey. Can we?!

Math or myth, then. You choose. We usually go with math, but screw it—this time, we’re going with myth. Florida in six games.