Panthers Sergei Bobrovsky Steals The Show With Shutout Performance In Game 1 Of The Stanley Cup Final

The first game of the Stanley Cup Final is in the books and the Florida Panthers have jumped out to a 1-0 series lead.

However, the scoreboard can be a bit deceiving, because at times the Edmonton Oilers dominated… they just ran into Sergei Bobrovsky.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel got the crowd fired up before puck-drop by hitting the team's giant drum. He did the same last season ahead of the Panthers Game 4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final which they won to complete the sweep and punch their ticket to the Cup Final.

I don't know how much stock you want to put in this, but the Panthers are undefeated in the playoffs when McDaniel handles drum duties.

This one got off to a quick start once all the fanfare was over and it started with a gigantic save from Bobrovsky.

Sure we have the benefit of hindsight, but doesn't that play scream, "It might be a tough night to score on this dude?"

I mean, Bobrovsky turned away all 32 shots in this one including some golden opportunities from some of the most dangerous players on the Oilers roster.

It was such a strong performance and a statement of intent for a Conn Smythe if the Panthers go all the way.

That's a big if because the Panthers looked seriously outplayed at times. But, like all good teams, they took advantage of their opportunities when they presented themselves, and that all started on their first shot of the game.

Carter Verhaege scored the series-opening goal thanks to a beauty of a feed from the Cat's captain Aleksander Barkov.

Stuart Skinner played a hell of a game too despite giving up two and facing considerably less rubber than Bobrovsky, but good luck stopping that one, bud.

Evan Rodriguez — who is in a battle with Edmonton's Evan Bouchard to be the first Evan engraved on the Stanley Cup — found the back of the net next for Florida, this time early in the second period.

Eetu Luostarinen added an empty-netter to make it 3-0 and that was it.

As I said, that score isn't indicative of how that game went at times. I think we've still got ourselves a series, but man, if the Oilers can't finish some of these opportunities they're creating that's a problem.

Game 2 will take place Monday, once again in Sunrise, and then the series will move north to Edmonton for Game 3.