Oilers overpowered by the poise of experienced Florida Panthers, drop Game 1 of Cup final
CTV
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final was an eye-opener for the Edmonton Oilers.
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final was an eye-opener for the Edmonton Oilers.
Unlike the Florida Panthers — who got a taste of the final just a year ago — only a handful of Oilers players have ever experienced Game 1 of a championship series: The energy. The pressure. The intensity.
It showed, and in Edmonton's first Cup final game since 2006, the Oilers had plenty of opportunities but could not finish, falling 3-0 to the swarming and stifling Panthers in Game 1.
For stars like Connor McDavid, a generational talent who has faced pressure since the moment he entered the league nine years ago, the game started business as usual.
McDavid showed off his unmatched acceleration in the opening period when he slipped past Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad for a one-on-one chance with goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, only to be denied in a theme that repeated itself throughout the night.
Even McDavid, who leads all scorers in the postseason with 31 points, couldn't cut through the Florida defense despite no shortage of chances.
The Panthers showed why they made it to the final a year ago — and it was clear that the bittersweet memory of losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games is still fresh.
