LAS VEGAS — Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice may need been channeling his inside Aaron Rodgers when he informed the assembled media Saturday night time to “breathe.”
The Panthers had minutes earlier misplaced Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final 5-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights, giving up three targets within the third interval.
Maurice, whose Florida group rallied from a 3-1 sequence deficit within the first spherical to beat the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Boston Bruins, is aware of it’s method too early handy the Stanley Cup to the Knights. And like when Rodgers informed Green Bay Packers followers after a 1-2 begin in 2014 to “R-E-L-A-X,” Maurice wasn’t about to hit the panic button.
Game 2 is Monday in Las Vegas.
“The losing team talks about too many of something and the winning team talks about the fabulousness of all other things,” Maurice mentioned. “We lost the first game in the Boston series and went along and got a little better and we lost two more and got a little better.”
The Panthers had appeared to ascertain momentum when Anthony Duclair scored off a faceoff within the offensive zone with 10.2 seconds left within the second interval, night the sport at 2-2.
PHOTOS: Panthers not about to panic over Game 1 loss to Golden Knights in Stanley Cup Final
But Vegas’ Zach Whitecloud blasted a shot from above the slot at 6:59 of the third interval to place the Knights forward for good. Mark Stone added a objective with 6:19 left to play, and Reilly Smith scored on an empty web with 1:45 remaining to finish Florida’s five-game successful streak.
“There are lots of areas where we can improve on both ends of the rink,” mentioned Eric Staal, who scored his a hundredth profession playoff objective within the first interval. “I think there are things we will look at and talk about and look forward to the next game. You get yourself off the mat and be excited for the challenge in Game 2.”
Florida confirmed towards the tip of Game 1 it wouldn’t be intimidated. The Panthers obtained into some scrums with the Knights, and three Florida gamers had been handed misconduct penalties.
It was just like the battle the Panthers confirmed within the Bruins sequence, and their rally from almost certain defeat is one thing they’ll maintain on to in opposition to Vegas.
“That’s pretty much what we expected,” Panthers middle Carter Verhaeghe mentioned. “It’s a lot of fun out there battling.”
The Panthers made the ultimate thanks largely to the recent play of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who rescued their postseason when he got here off the bench to begin Game 4 in opposition to Boston. Florida misplaced that recreation, however then Bobrovsky grew to become almost untouchable.
He posted a .940 save share in opposition to Boston, saved 164 of 174 photographs in opposition to Toronto and 168 of 174 in opposition to Carolina. Perhaps extra impressively, the Panthers gained 11 of 12 coming into the Cup Final with Bobrovsky within the web.
The Knights obtained to him 4 instances on 33 photographs on objective.
“I played a solid game,” Bobrovsky mentioned. “They had lots of good scoring chances.”
Like his coach, Bobrovsky wasn’t about to overreact.
“It’s the first game,” Bobrovsky mentioned. “It’s a long series and lots of hockey ahead of us. We play to learn and we move on.”
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