Panthers take 2-0 lead in Stanley Cup Final with 4-1 victory in Game 2
Evan Rodrigues scored a pair of third period goals, including the game-winner
The Florida Panthers are halfway to a Stanley Cup Championship.
Florida took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 championship series with Monday’s 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in front of a packed Amerant Bank Arena crowd.
Unlike in Game 1, Florida was all over the Oilers to start the second installment of the final.
After killing off an early Oilers power play without allowing a shot or attempt, Warren Foegele caught Eetu Luostarinen with a knee-on-knee hit just inside the Edmonton zone.
Foegele was issued a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the hit, which was reviewed and upheld.
Less than two minutes into the power play, Oliver Ekman-Larsson was called for a neutral zone trip. During the 4-on-4, Mattias Ekholm led Edmonton on a 3-on-1 rush and beat Sergei Bobrovsky with a wrist shot through his five-hole.
One shot, one goal, one lead for the visitors after one period.
Florida continued to carry the majority of the play into the second period, but it took nearly half the frame for the Cats to get on the scoreboard.
Moments after putting an accidental shot on his own goaltender, Niko Mikkola followed Anton Lundell on a rush up the ice and one-timed a drop pass over the glove of Stuart Skinner to tie the game at one.
The Panthers took their first of the game early in the third period.
Evan Rodrigues tried passing the puck across the Oilers zone, but it was blocked. He picked up the pick, took a couple strides toward Skinner and wired a shot over his blocker to put Florida ahead 2-1.
Midway through the third period, Leon Draisaitl hit Sasha Barkov with an elbow, sending Barkov to the locker room and Draisaitl to the box for roughing.
Draisaitl appeared to leave his skates when he delivered the hit, but the officials only called him for a minor penalty.
Florida made the Oilers pay, with Rodrigues notching his second goal of the game with 7:35 to go after a great play along the boards by Lundell.
Edmonton pulled Skinner with 5:35 to go, soon after getting a 6-on-4 power play when Oilver Ekman-Larsson shot the puck over the glass.
The Cats killed the penalty and then Aaron Ekblad put the puck into the vacated Oilers net, sealing the win and a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Final.
On to Game 3.
Here are some thoughts and observations from Game 2 against Edmonton:
It’s goals in consecutive games for Rodrigues. He’s up to five this postseason.
Lundell notched a pair of assists in Game 3. He now has points in three of his past four games and is up to 14 points during the postseason.
Florida went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill on Monday. The Cats are 7-for-7 so far against the Oilers vaunted power play.
Edmonton’s run killing consecutive penalties ended at 34 with Rodrigues’ PPG.
Mikkola’s goal was only his second of the playoffs.
Bennett now has points in five straight games after assisting on Ekblad’s empty net goal. He has 12 points in 14 playoff games.
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