Panthers trash Oilers 3-0 in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final

The Florida Panthers secured a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final on Saturday at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.

Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe kicked off the goals just under four minutes into the game with a backhand pass from captain Aleksander Barkov, marking Verhaeghe’s team-leading 10th goal of the playoffs.

Despite threats from Connor McDavid and the Oilers, Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, supported by solid defense, managed to keep the Oilers scoreless, closing the first period with a 1-0 lead.

The Panthers widened their lead in the second period with a goal from Evan Rodrigues, making it 2-0. The Oilers outshot the Panthers 32-18, but Florida maintained control and sealed their victory with an empty net goal by Eetu Luostarinen just four seconds before the final buzzer.

Sergei Bobrovsky posted the first #StanleyCup Final shutout in franchise history and helped the @FlaPanthers take a lead in the championship series for the first time.#NHLStats: https://t.co/4fLCGAdT1Z pic.twitter.com/qCxY2Le80g

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Bobrovsky’s 32 saves were pivotal in achieving the Panthers’ first Stanley Cup shutout victory in team history. The 35-year-old Russian goaltender acknowledged the Oilers’ prowess, referring to them as “elite” after the game. The Oilers, who have a storied history with five Stanley Cup wins, faced a tough challenge from the Panthers, who lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in last year’s final—their first in 27 years.

Game 2 is set for Monday at 8 p.m. ET.