Panthers Two Wins Away From Stanley Cup

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Connor McDavid and his Oilers have faced adversity all season.

They started the schedule an ugly 2-9-1. They trailed the Vancouver Canucks three times in the second round of the playoffs. They fell behind the Dallas Stars before claiming the Western Conference crown.

Florida, however, is a different animal — and Edmonton has a deep hole to climb out of after heading north.

Evan Rodrigues scored twice in the third period as the Panthers downed the Oilers 4-1 on Monday to take a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup final.

“We gotta be better,” said McDavid, who assisted on Mattias Ekholm’s goal that gave Edmonton a 1-0 lead. “They went up a level and we didn’t match it.”

Niko Mikkola and Aaron Ekblad, into an empty net, also scored for Florida. Bobrovsky made 18 saves after stopping 32 shots in the opener. Anton Lundell had two assists.

“We just try to play the same game,” Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said. “Just play really hard, play in your face, keep the gaps good, play simple, move your feet, get some hits.”

Stuart Skinner stopped 25 shots for Edmonton, which hosts Game 3 on Thursday. 

“It’s not ideal,” Oilers forward Zach Hyman said. “We’ve got to take care of business at home.” 

Rodrigues snapped a 1-1 tie at 3:11 of the third when he ripped his fifth goal of the playoffs — and second of the series — on a shot that nicked Ekholm in front after defence partner Evan Bouchard put the puck right on the winger’s stick.

Edmonton centre Leon Draisaitl was whistled for roughing on Florida captain Aleksander Barkov, who did not return, midway through the period, and the Panthers‘ struggling power play finally broke through on the Oilers after 34 straight kills going all the way back to the Vancouver series.

Bouchard’s tough night continued when he got beat along the boards and Lundell fed a pass into the slot that Rodrigues redirected at 12:26. 

“It’s special,” Rodrigues said. “Trying to embrace it. Trying to stay in the moment.”

McDavid had a breakaway with Edmonton and Florida playing 4-on-4 with under six minutes to go in regulation, but Bobrovsky made the save.

Ekblad iced it with his first of the post-season into the empty net with 2:28 left in regulation before fans at Amerant Bank Arena chanted “We Want the Cup!” as the clock wound down.

Florida is now a pair of wins from its first championship after losing out in the 1996 final and again last spring.

“I thought it was a continuation of our third period from Game 1,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said of the defensive performance. “The effort was outstanding.”

“I’m excited to see our group come together,” McDavid said. “I’m excited to see us fight through adversity and looking forward to people doubting us again.

“We’re good with our backs against the wall.”

That’s exactly where Edmonton stands two games into the final.

(Canadian Press)