Why the Panthers’ fast starts in Cup Final has presented them with a ‘great challenge’
The Florida Panthers have figured out how to get off to good starts in the Stanley Cup Final. It’s why the Panthers are up 3-2 in the series against the Edmonton Oilers and one win away from repeating as champions.
Being able to maintain those leads, however, hasn’t always been easy against an Edmonton Oilers team that has shown its ability to make wild comebacks. It’s why the Oilers have been able to stick around in the series.
Through the first five games of the Stanley Cup Final, Florida has outscored Edmonton 11-4, has scored multiple goals in the opening 20 minutes in each game of the series and led in four of five games going into the first intermission.
“It’s huge to start well, and obviously we want to keep doing that,” center Anton Lundell said, “but at the same time, it’s a long game. We’ve seen during the series, we have to play good the whole 60 minutes.”
The Panthers haven’t done that consistently throughout the series.
The two losses show just that.
Florida led 2-1 after the first period of Game 1 and went up 3-1 two minutes into the second period before Edmonton rallied with a goal apiece in the second and third to force overtime, where Leon Draisaitl scored the game-winner with 31 seconds left in the extra period.
The Panthers led 3-0 after the opening frame of Game 4 but quickly gave away that lead as well. Edmonton scored three goals in the second to tie it, then briefly took a 4-3 lead with 6:14 left in regulation. Sam Reinhart tied the game for the Panthers with 19.5 seconds left to force overtime, but Edmonton stole the win with another Draisaitl overtime goal.
Florida won the other three games of the series 5-4 in double overtime in Game 2, 6-1 in Game 3 and 5-2 in Game 5.
“I think it’s been a great challenge, actually,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said of the first-period leads. “We’ve had leads in games and we’ve had them evaporate. They’re built to attack, and when the pressure comes off a team, their risk profile changes. That’s the most dangerous team in the NHL when the risk profile changes. For us the second one would be the Tampa Bay Lightning. When they’re down a goal or two, they’re incredibly hard to handle and it’s in the style of game they’re very, very good at. So, it’s just more time where we’re playing them at their best, they attack.”
They said it
▪ “Every series, you learn something. Those games, they teach you a lot. Obviously, when the time comes and you have a chance to end the series or stuff like that or you have that big game, obviously, you want it so much that you’re maybe trying to do a little too much, like you’re trying to do something different than what you’ve been [doing]. For us, it’s to stick with what we’ve been doing and that’s the whole key.” - Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov on closing out series
▪ “Our fans have given us so much love and support and momentum this year that they deserve this type of game at home. So we’re excited playing for that.” - Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk on chance to win the Stanley Cup at home in Game 6
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