Panthers lead Oilers 2-1 after first period of Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final
Published
Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring for the Edmonton Oilers, and Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand responded for the Florida Panthers as they hold a 2-1 lead after the first period of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
This series is a rematch of last year’s final, which the Panthers won in seven games.
Draisaitl was first on the board when he followed up as Evander Kane crashed the net, collected the puck and fired it past Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to open the scoring 66 seconds into the game.
Kasperi Kapanen and Jake Walman picked up assists on the opening goal.
Corey Perry took the first penalty of the game, as he was assessed a high sticking infraction at the 6:53 mark of the frame.
The Oilers were able to kill off the man advantage, only surrendering one shot while down a man.
Bennett then equalized the game as he tipped a Carter Verhaeghe shot past Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner at 10:49 to make the score 1-1.
The Oilers unsuccessfully challenged the play for goaltender interference, leading to a delay of game penalty and another Panthers power play.
Marchand quickly took advantage of it, snapping a puck past Skinner at 12:30 to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead.
Anton Lundell took an interference penalty at 12:40 and Perry was given his second penalty of the first period at 12:46 for tripping, leading to a short lived four-on-four situation.
It was short lived because Aaron Ekblad took a holding penalty at 13:04 to put the Oilers back on the power play.
Skinner turned away four shots for the Oilers, while Bobrovsky made 14 saves for the Panthers.
The Panthers won the first three games of last year’s championship series before the Oilers stormed back with three consecutive wins to force the series into a deciding Game 7.
Florida captured their first Stanley Cup title on home ice with a 2-1 victory in the do-or-die deciding game.
Oilers forward Connor McDavid was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs in a losing cause.