With two goals in a blowout win, a former Pittsburgh Penguins forward stepped up in a big way.
PITTSBURGH – Evan Rodrigues spent a little over two seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins and had the best season of his career in 2021-22. In 82 games played that year, he scored 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 total points.
Now a member of the Florida Panthers, Rodrigues is hoping to contribute to his and that franchise’s first Stanley Cup. Going up against the Boston Bruins in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Panthers took a 2-1 series lead with a blowout win.
Rodrigues bookended the scoring with a pair of goals in the 6-2 rout. For the first goal of Game 3, Rodrigues was battling in front of the net and betted a puck out of mid air. Swinging between two Bruins defenders, Rodrigues kept his stick below the cross bar for his second goal of the postseason.
Panthers forward Sam Reinhart potted an empty net goal to give the Panthers a 5-2 lead with just over a minute in the game, but Rodrigues wasn’t done. WIth Jeremy Swayman back in the net and the Bruins on penalty kill, Rodrigues slapped a one-timer home for the sixth and final goal of the game.
The dominating win put the Panthers ahead in the series and they look like real contenders to become Stanley Cup champions.
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