Members of the Vegas Golden Knights pose with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Florida Panthers to win the championship in Game Five of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 13, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (PHOTO / AFP)

The Vegas Golden Knights hit the ultimate National Hockey League jackpot on Tuesday by crushing the visiting Florida Panthers 9-3 to win the Stanley Cup for the first time in the expansion franchise's six-year history.

With the victory, the Western Conference's top-seeded Golden Knights closed out the best-of-seven championship series 4-1, triggering celebrations in and around the hotels and casinos along the famed Las Vegas Strip.

Vegas captain Mark Stone had three goals, Nicolas Hague, Alec Martinez, Reilly Smith, Michael Amadio, Ivan Barbashev and Nicolas Roy had one apiece while Adin Hill made 31 saves.

Alec Martinez (23) of the Vegas Golden Knights skates against Gustav Forsling (42) of the Florida Panthers during the second period in Game Five of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 13, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (PHOTO / AFP)

"I can't put words to describe it," said Stone. "We got a Stanley Cup in Las Vegas ... it's unbelievable."

The Vegas Golden Knights' forward Jonathan Marchessault, who had 25 points in the postseason, was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the Stanley Cup playoffs

Vegas forward Jonathan Marchessault, who had 25 points in the postseason, was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

For Florida, it ended an impressive run by a resilient team that squeaked into the playoffs as the final wildcard in the Eastern Conference and then beat three of the NHL's top four clubs to reach their first Stanley Cup Final since 1996.

The Panthers' defeat also came a day after the Miami Heat lost to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals and ends what had been a mesmerizing two months during which both eighth-seeded teams enthralled South Florida.

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The Vegas victory made good on Golden Knights owner Bill Foley's bold prediction that the expansion team would win a Stanley Cup within their first six seasons.

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (second left) scores on Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (second right) as defenseman Brandon Montour (right) tries to defend along with center Carter Verhaeghe during the first period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on June 13, 2023, in Las Vegas. (PHOTO / AP)

"What has happened here has been simply incredible," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said before presenting the Stanley Cup to Stone. "Not only is Vegas a hockey town, it's a championship town."

For the Florida Panthers, it ended an impressive run by a resilient team that squeaked into the playoffs as the final wildcard in the Eastern Conference and then beat three of the NHL's top four clubs to reach their first Stanley Cup Final since 1996

Long odds

The NHL awarded Las Vegas an expansion franchise in June 2016 and the Golden Knights enjoyed a remarkable 2017-18 debut season, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals where they lost to the Washington Capitals in five games.

But this time around the Golden Knights made the most of their Stanley Cup Final appearance, winning the first two games at home and splitting the next two in Florida.

The Panthers knew they faced long odds to fight their way back into the series. Teams holding a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final have won 36 of 37 times.

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Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (right) trips while under pressure from Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe during the third period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on June 13, 2023, in Las Vegas. (PHOTO / AP)

The only team to come back are the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, who trailed 3-0 to the Detroit Red Wings.

Aaron Ekblad put the Panthers on the board early in the second but Vegas responded with four goals in nine and a half wild minutes as Alec Martinez, Reilly Smith, Vegas captain Mark Stone and Michael Amadio all found the net as the hosts built a commanding 6-1 lead

After a nervous start on Tuesday, Vegas seized control just past the midway mark of the first period with Stone scoring a short-handed goal and Hague putting them 2-0 up less than two minutes later.

Aaron Ekblad put the Panthers on the board early in the second but Vegas responded with four goals in nine and a half wild minutes as Martinez, Smith, Stone and Amadio all found the net as the hosts built a commanding 6-1 lead.

Amadio's goal came with two seconds left in the period and while the raucous Vegas crowd were already chanting "We want the Cup!"

Barbashev kept the party going when he put Vegas ahead 7-1 near the midway mark of the final period and with the game out of reach the crowd barely flinched when Florida's Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett responded shortly after.

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Stone completed his hat-trick via an empty net goal with six minutes left while Roy added a late goal.