3 Keys: Golden Knights at Panthers, Game 3 of Stanley Cup Final

Golden Knights at Panthers

Stanley Cup Final, Game 3

Vegas leads best-of-7 series, 2-0

8 p.m. ET; TNT, TBS, truTV, CBC, SN, TVAS

SUNRISE, FLA. --The Florida Panthers will try to win a Stanley Cup Final game for the first time in their history and get back into the series against the Vegas Golden Knights when they host Game 3 at FLA Live Arena on Thursday.

The Panthers lost Games 1 and 2 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, 5-2 and 7-2, respectively. They have played six Stanley Cup Final games in their history and lost them all, having been swept in four games by the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.

Game 3 will be the first Cup Final game in South Florida since June 10, 1996.

RELATED: [Complete Stanley Cup Final coverage]

"This series is where it's at right now because we didn't necessarily have the best two games to start over there," Florida forward Matthew Tkachuk said. "Coming back home, I think it's a breath of fresh air for every one of us to take care of home ice, like we have all playoffs, and make this a series. But you can't make it a series unless you win this game tonight."

The Golden Knights are two wins from their first Stanley Cup championship in their six seasons of existence. They are 6-2 with a plus-16 goal differential (32-16) in road games this postseason.

"Sometimes people feel more pressure at home, and it's a little more uncomfortable at home because you're in front of your fans and family," Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. "Our heads are in the right spot."

Teams with a 2-0 lead in a best-of-7 Stanley Cup Final have won the series 90.6 percent of the time (48-5). The five teams that came back to win are the Boston Bruins (2011), Pittsburgh Penguins (2009), Montreal Canadiens (1971 and 1966), and Toronto Maple Leafs (1942).

The 1942 Maple Leafs are the only team to rally from down 3-0 in the championship series.

"This is by far the biggest game of our season," Tkachuk said.

Here are 3 keys to Game 3:

1. Discipline

The Panthers have struggled to toe the line in this series between what is acceptable and what will result in a penalty.

It's not the post-whistle scrums that have occurred late in Games 1 and 2, but more the penalties for roughing, slashing, cross-checking, tripping and interference they have taken in the first two periods of each game that has given the Golden Knights power-play opportunities and momentum.

"The last thing we want to do is keep getting penalties and putting those guys on the power play," Florida forward Anthony Duclair said. "Obviously, they've got tons of skill, tons of talent and can make us pay. So we've got to see a little smarter hockey tonight out of us."

2. Marchessault's magic wand

Vegas forward Jonathan Marchessault has three goals in the series, seven in a seven-game point streak and 12 in the past 12 games on 46 shots, shooting 26.1 percent.

The Panthers must cool him off to have a better chance to win Game 3 because Marchessault is getting chances and putting the puck in the back of the net.

"He's just feeling it," said center Jack Eichel, who plays with Marchessault at even strength and on the power play. "You go on a little rip like he's on right now you feel like you're going to score every night and he has been. It's even in practice, every puck he shoots right now is going in. It's great to see. He's a great shooter. He gets in the right areas. He competes hard in between the hashes. He's getting what he deserves."

3. Don't Conn me

Sergei Bobrovsky and Tkachuk were arguably the top two contenders for the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs entering the Stanley Cup Final. But the Panthers goalie and their leading scorer have not been the same against the Golden Knights.

Bobrovsky has allowed eight goals on 46 shots (5.52 goals-against average, .826 save percentage) in the series and was pulled 7:10 into the second period of Game 2 after giving up four goals on 13 shots, including two on two in that period.

Tkachuk has three times as many 10-minute misconduct penalties (three) as he has goals (one).

Florida needs Bobrovsky to rediscover the mojo he had in the previous two rounds, when he went 8-1 with a 1.51 goals-against average and .954 save percentage against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes.

They need Tkachuk to stay on the ice and start pouring in some offense. He was second in the NHL with 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) through the first three rounds. He had 24 penalty minutes in 16 games, and already has 36 in two games against Vegas.

"I have to take more pucks to the net, shoot more, be around it," Tkachuk said. "Normally when you're around the net, good things happen. Their [defensemen] do a good job of protecting the front of the net, but I think there's more room around it just because they're so close to it. Find those holes."

Golden Knights projected lineup

Ivan Barbashev -- Jack Eichel -- Jonathan Marchessault

Reilly Smith -- William Karlsson -- Michael Amadio

Brett Howden -- Chandler Stephenson -- Mark Stone

William Carrier -- Nicolas Roy -- Keegan Kolesar

Alec Martinez -- Alex Pietrangelo

Brayden McNabb -- Shea Theodore

Nicolas Hague -- Zach Whitecloud

Adin Hill

Jonathan Quick

Scratched: Teddy Blueger, Paul Cotter, Ben Hutton, Phil Kessel, Video: Rosen, Myers, Gulitti preview Game 3 of SCF , Brayden Pachal, Jiri Patera

Injured: Laurent Brossoit (lower body), Logan Thompson (undisclosed)

Panthers projected lineup

Carter Verhaeghe -- Aleksander Barkov -- Anthony Duclair

Nick Cousins -- Sam Bennett -- Matthew Tkachuk

Ryan Lomberg -- Anton Lundell -- Sam Reinhart

Zac Dalpe -- Eric Staal -- Colin White

Gustav Forsling -- Aaron Ekblad

Marc Staal -- Brandon Montour

Josh Mahura -- Radko Gudas

Sergei Bobrovsky

Alex Lyon

Scratched: Givani Smith, Mike Benning, Casey Fitzgerald, Evan Fitzpatrick, Lucas Carlsson, Video: Rosen, Myers, Gulitti preview Game 3 of SCF , Matt Kiersted, Video: Rosen, Myers, Gulitti preview Game 3 of SCF , Aleksi Heponiemi, Mackie Samoskevich, Connor Bunnaman, Patrick Giles, John Ludvig, Santtu Kinnunen, Calle Sjalin

Injured: Eetu Luostarinen (undisclosed), Patric Hornqvist (concussion)

Status report

Karlsson was on the ice for the Golden Knights' optional morning skate Thursday after missing practice Wednesday because he wasn't feeling well. … Vegas is expected to have the same lineup as Games 1 and 2. … Gudas will play; he did not return in Game 2 after leaving with an injury following a hit from Barbashev at 6:38 of the first period. … The Panthers will use 12 forwards and six defensemen in Game 3 after playing 11 forwards and seven defensemen in Game 2. ... Dalpe was the 12th forward in Game 1, but Maurice did not confirm he would return for Game 3. … Luostarinen, a forward, will miss his third straight game.