The Vegas Golden Knights are on the cusp of their first Stanley Cup title after a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 4. A late-game fracas erupted, with equipment scattered across the ice, but it didn't alter the outcome. Vegas now holds a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Vegas forward Nicolas Roy acknowledged the Panthers' relentless pushback, a recurring theme throughout the series. The Golden Knights have the opportunity to clinch the championship on home ice in Game 5.

Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo expressed confidence in the team's home-ice advantage during the playoffs. However, the path to victory wasn't smooth. Chandler Stephenson netted two goals for Vegas, while William Karlsson finally broke his scoring drought to give the Knights a 3-0 lead.

Florida mounted a comeback with goals from Brandon Montour and Aleksander Barkov, but their efforts ultimately fell short. This puts the Panthers, the Eastern Conference's eighth seed and the last team to make the playoffs, in a precarious position.

Panthers coach Paul Maurice praised his team's ability to perform under pressure and expects a strong showing in the next game. Sergei Bobrovsky delivered another stellar performance in goal for Florida, stopping 28 of 31 shots. However, Vegas goaltender Adin Hill secured his 10th win since taking over mid-second round, making 29 saves.

Pietrangelo commended Hill's preparedness and performance. The Golden Knights are now just one win away from fulfilling owner Bill Foley's ambitious goal of winning the Stanley Cup within their first six years. Their previous finals appearance in 2017-18 ended in defeat against Washington.

This time around, Vegas boasts a more talented and composed roster. Key acquisitions like Stephenson, Hill, Jack Eichel, and captain Mark Stone (who contributed two assists in Game 4) have played crucial roles. Original Knights players have also made significant contributions. Jonathan Marchessault's assist on Karlsson's goal marked his 24th point of the playoffs, tying him for the lead in scoring.

The Panthers managed to make the game suspenseful. Montour's goal, deflected off two Vegas players, cut the lead to 3-1. Barkov's goal early in the third period further narrowed the gap. Despite missing top scorer Matthew Tkachuk for several shifts, Florida continued to pressure Hill, while Bobrovsky made key saves to keep them in contention.

A late power play for Florida, resulting from a penalty by Pietrangelo, created a flurry of chances but failed to produce a power-play goal. The ensuing scrum led to multiple penalties on both sides, including unsportsmanlike conduct and misconduct calls.

Hill, who participated in the late-game brawl, downplayed the incident and shifted focus to the upcoming Game 5. The Panthers now face a must-win situation, needing a repeat of their first-round comeback against Boston to keep their championship hopes alive.