The Florida Panthers are enjoying life early in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Forward Carter Verhaeghe scored the opening goal to give Florida a 1-0 lead over the Edmonton Oilers. And in the second period, they doubled that lead thanks to Evan Rodrigues. The hosting Panthers went on to win Game 1 by a score of 3-0.
As it turns out, Verhaeghe's goal has a bit of historical significance. The Panthers forward found the back of the net on his team's very first shot. This marks the first time a team has scored in the Stanley Cup Final on their first shot of the series since 2007, according to Sportsnet Stats. Ottawa Senators forward Mike Fisher scored against the Anaheim Ducks in that series, though Anaheim eventually won the Stanley Cup.
Despite the goals, Florida didn't generate a ton of chances. In fact, the Oilers outshot the Panthers 34-17 in Game 1. In the end, though, Florida didn't need a ton of shots. They pulled out the win and took a 1-0 series lead in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
Carter Verhaeghe strikes again
Verhaeghe is certainly no stranger to scoring in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Over the last few seasons, the Toronto native has become one of the most clutch playoff performers in the league. In fact, there's a case to be made that he is one of the most clutch performers in the history of the NHL.
Verhaeghe is tied for third in league history with five overtime goals in the playoffs. Only Maurice Richard and Joe Sakic have scored more overtime winners in the postseason. What makes this even more remarkable is that Verhaeghe, unlike Richard and Sakic, has played less than 100 career playoff games.
The Toronto native is quickly chasing down Panthers history, as well. At the time of publication, he has 50 career playoff points with Florida. This mark puts him second all-time in franchise history behind captain Aleksander Barkov. However, he does lead the team in all-time playoff goals, game-winning playoff goals, and overtime playoff goals.
Overall, Carter Verhaeghe has shown up big when it matters most. That was certainly on display in Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. And we are likely to see even more from the Toronto native as the series against the Oilers progresses over the next few weeks.
Panthers backed up by strong goaltending
Verhaeghe wasn't the only top performer in Game 1 on Friday night. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky also helped out with an unreal performance against an elite Edmonton offense. The Panthers didn't generate a ton of chances outside of Verhaeghe and Rodrigues's goals. But, they also didn't need to.
Bobrovsky made a number of unreal saves against Edmonton on Friday night. The Oilers found themselves on the breakaway a few times against Florida. But the veteran netminder stood tall throughout the game. He recorded a remarkable shutout to give his team an all-important 1-0 series lead.
The Oilers are certainly disappointed with their poor showing. But this Stanley Cup Final is far from over. They take the ice again on Monday night with a chance to even the series. Game 2 also takes place in Florida with puck drop currently scheduled for 8 PM Eastern Time.
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