The Florida Panthers are looking to take a 2-0 series lead in Monday’s Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers but know they must be more aggressive to complete the task at hand.
Edmonton outshot Florida 25-12, but with Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky on pace for having one of the most legendary performances in postseason history, the Panthers settled down to allow only seven shots and three high-danger chances during the final frame.
Bobrovsky made 32 saves to earn a shutout in Game 1 to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead in the series. He became only the fifth goalie in NHL history to record a shutout in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe started off the game with his 10th of the playoffs after Oilers captain Connor McDavid mistimed a breakout before the Panthers were up the ice with numbers as Alexander Barkov set him up with just under four minutes in the first period.
Verhaeghe has scored 25 playoff goals in his career.
Sam Bennett found a wide-open Evan Rodrigues in front of the next, who beat Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner over the glove as the Panthers took a 2-0 lead just 2:16 into the second period.
Panthers Forward Eetu Luostarinen made it 3-0 on an empty-net goal with less than five seconds left in the third period.
The Panthers will now look go up 2-0 before heading to Edmonton for Games 3 and 4.
The Panthers are back in the title round for the second consecutive year and seeking their first championship.
The Oilers, meanwhile, are looking to return to hockey’s mountaintop for the first time since 1990.
Local 10′s Chasing the Cup coverage begins 7:30 p.m. Monday.
The puck for Game 2 is set to drop at 8 p.m.
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