Oilers, Panthers deadlocked after two periods in Game 2
Published
The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers are deadlocked at 1-1 after two periods in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday.
Edmonton took a 1-0 lead into the first period thanks to a goal from defenceman Mattias Ekholm.
Ekholm, 34, has five goals and eight points in 20 playoff games this season and is playing in his second career Stanley Cup Final.
Both Florida and Edmonton had an opportunity on the power play to begin the second period and both were unable to convert.
But Niko Mikkola finally put the Panthers on the board after pounding a shot from the top of the faceoff circle past Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner half way through the period to tie the game.
Mikkola, 28, has two goals and four points in 19 playoff games this season and is playing in his first career Stanley Cup Final.
Connor McDavid almost gave the Oilers the lead back with five minutes remaining in the second when his wrist shot beat Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, but not the post.
Sam Bennett had a glorious opportunity to give the Panthers their first lead of the game when he walked in alone on Skinner on the power play but was unable to beat the Oilers' goaltender.
Florida is 0-for-4 on the power play in the game and 0-for-6 on the man advantage in the series. Edmonton is 0-for-3 on the man advantage in the game and 0-for-6 on the power play in the series.
The Panthers outshot the Oilers 13-3 in the second period and continue to outshoot Edmonton 22-7 in the game.
Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse left the game in the first period with an injury. He skated briefly before the start of the second period but returned to the Oilers' dressing room and did not return in the frame.
The Panthers are in their second straight Stanley Cup Final after falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games last season. They hold a Stanley Cup series advantage for the first time in franchise history after taking Game 1 3-0 on Saturday night.
Edmonton is in the final for the first time in 18 years. They fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games in the 2006 Stanley Cup Final.