Bob and weave

Panthers play with fire, but Bobrovsky slams door on dangerous Oilers

- KEVIN MCGRAN

Zach Hyman and the Oilers pressured Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky throughout Saturday night's opener of the Stanley Cup final - but couldn't put a puck past him.

Panthers 3

Oilers 0

Panthers lead series 1-0

Panthers coach Paul Maurice was asked at the outset of the Stanley Cup final how important special teams were going to be.

His answer was succinct: “It depends how many penalties you take.”

Well, true to form, the Panthers took penalties. But their penalty-killing unit — aided a great deal by goalie Sergei Bobrovsky — outdueled the Edmonton Oilers’ vaunted power play and that was the difference as Florida took Game 1 of the final 3-0 on Saturday night.

A couple of Panthers the Maple Leafs once laid claim to, Carter Verhaeghe and Evan Rodrigues, scored at even strength in the first 40 minutes and Eetu Luostarinen added an empty-netter.

Bobrovsky did the rest, blanking the firepower of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman in turning away 33 shots.