Game 1 was not the best performance by the Florida Panthers, as they were on the defensive most of the night against the Edmonton Oilers. But, they were still able to come away with a 3-0 victory, which was the most important stat of the night.
Heading into Game 2, the Oilers were expressing confidence. They believed they had what it took to solve goalie Sergei Bobrovsky after peppering him with shots in Game 1 but still getting shut out.
They were able to get the puck past him this time, but it didn’t end up mattering. The Florida Panthers flipped the script a bit from Game 1, becoming the more aggressive offensive team and taking it to Edmonton.
The Panthers were able to take a commanding 2-0 series lead with a 4-1 victory on Monday night. They were powered by Evan Rodrigues, who scored twice, and defenseman Niko Mikkola, who scored his second career postseason goal.
They both have now outscored the high-powered Oilers stars such as Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman. That certainly is a recipe for success for the Florida Panthers, who are getting contributions from unsung heroes and shutting down their high-powered opposition.
“It’s special. You try to embrace it, try to stay in the moment. It’s two big wins for our team. And I think we’ve already turned the page and we’re getting ready for Game 3,” Rodrigues said.
The Florida defense has been magnificent for a few weeks now. They were able to shut down a high-powered New York Rangers offense in the Eastern Conference Finals as well.
After dominating earlier in the postseason, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad were both shut down in a similar fashion to the Oilers’ leading scorers. That has led to the Florida Panthers winning five straight postseason games against elite competition.
It will be interesting to see if they can keep the positive momentum going in Game 3. That will be played in front of a raucous crowd in Edmonton, as they will do everything they can to help their team climb back into the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals on home ice.
Do you want the latest news, updates, and rumors surrounding all sports? Click here. Make sure to check out our sister sites as well: NFL Analysis Network, NBA Analysis Network, Packers Coverage.
