FORT LAUDERDALE – The Florida Panthers don’t waste any time.
In taking a 3-2 series lead over the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final, the defending champions have shown time and time again that they’re always ready for the puck to drop.
Through the first five game of the series, they’ve scored at least two goals in every first period.
“It’s huge to start well,” forward Anton Lundell said. “We want to keep doing that, but at the same time it’s a long game. We’ve seen during the series that we have to play good all 60 minutes. We want to have a good start, feel good and keep building on that.”
Heading out of the locker room with a collective head full of steam, the Panthers have outscored the Oilers 11-4 in the first period, but have also been outscored 11-10 in the second and third.
In each of their two wins in the series, the Oilers clawed back from multi-goal deficits.
With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in their lineup, they know they’re never out of it.
“I think it’s been the great challenge,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “We’ve had leads in games, and we’ve had them evaporate. They’re built to attack. When the pressure comes off a team, you can get a couple goals on a team and their risk profile changes. That’s the most dangerous team in the National Hockey League when their risk profile changes.”
But after racing out to a 3-0 lead in an eventual 5-2 win in Game 5 at Rogers Place on Saturday, the Panthers showed once again they have what it takes to weather Edmonton’s storm.
In Game 3, they also led 2-0 in the first period and went on to earn a 6-1 win in Sunrise.
Just because the Oilers can push, it doesn’t mean the Panthers can’t push back.
“We think we’ve played pretty good hockey this whole series and whole playoffs, but especially in these last few,” forward Matthew Tkachuk said. “We know the type of game we have to play. Our start’s important with building our game. Hard gaps, heavy forecheck.”
With a chance to become the ninth different franchise to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, the Panthers know a strong start will be key again in Game 6 on Tuesday.
Welcoming the Oilers back to Amerant Bank Arena – the site of Florida’s Cup-clinching win over Edmonton in Game 7 just a year ago – both players and the home crowd will be ready.
If you’re looking for a player to get the party started, there’s a few likely candidates.
Tkachuk and Sam Bennett are tied for first on the Panthers with five goals each in the first period this postseason, while Carter Verhaeghe has netted four. Spreading out the offense, 12 different players have lit the lamp in the first period, with eight recording multiple goals.
With Lord Stanley in the building, everyone is itching for that first shift.
“This time of year, we don’t need any extra incentive to get up for the games,” Reinhart said. “We’ve liked our starts so far, and we’re going to need another one tomorrow.”
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