Evan Rodrigues Leads Panthers to Game 2 win over Oilers – Hockey Writers – NHL News
The Florida Panthers, led by two goals from Evan Rodrigues, defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-1 and took a 2-0 lead in the 2024 Stanley Cup finals. The Panthers seek their seventh return to the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which is tied for most in a single postseason (also 7 in 2023).
Mattias Ekholm opened the scoring for the Oilers in a 4-on-4 situation after Warren Foegele was assessed a five-minute championship and a game misconduct after a knee contact with Eetu Luostarinen. Connor McDavid got an assist in goal and picked up his 27th postseason to tie Nikita Kucherov (27 in 2020) for the most in a playoff year by an active player. Only Wayne Gretzky (3x; most: 31 in 1988) and Mario Lemieux (28 in 1991) have had more.
With his assist on the opening goal, McDavid now has 17 points in games following a loss this postseason, tying Rick Middleton in 1983 (4-13 assists-17 points in 7 GP) for second most in a single NHL season. history, only behind Doug Gilmour in 1993 (4-16-20 in 9 GP).
In the second period, Niko Mikkolat tied the game with a goal before the Panthers took the lead in the third period with a goal by Rodriguez.
Rodrigues scored again to give the Panthers a two-goal lead with more than seven minutes left in the third period. He became the first player in Panthers history with a multi-goal game in the Stanley Cup Finals. He has three goals in the finals, equaling his total in the first three rounds this year (17 GP).
Florida's third goal of the night was the first power play goal against the Oilers in nearly a month, ending their 34-game losing streak.
Aaron Ekblad scored an empty netter to give the Panthers a three-goal margin of victory.
News and notes
Each of the past 24 Stanley Cup Finals series, from 1999 to 2023, has required five or more games (18 of the 24 series in that span have required six or more games).
Florida's first two goals tonight were scored by players in their first season with the Panthers. Mikkola and Rodrigues were both signed on free agents last July. Rodriguez has a goal in each of his first two games in the final. Florida's third goal of the night was the first power play goal against the Oilers in nearly a month, ending their 34-game losing streak.
The last three Finals series has been 2-0 after game 2. Before that, the three in a row were tied 1-1. The 2020 Tampa Bay Lightning were the last to reach a Game 2 even in the finals, while the St. Louis Blues in 2019 was the last to do so on the road.
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