2024 Stanley Cup Final: Evan Rodrigues scores two goals as Panthers defeat Oilers in Game 2

Panthers take 2-0 series lead after beating Oilers, 4-1

The Florida Panthers have secured a 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final. On Monday, veteran forward Evan Rodrigues tallied the go-ahead goal early in the third period to lead the Panthers to a 4-1 win against the visiting Edmonton Oilers in Game 2.

Just 3:11 into the third period, Rodrigues sent a scorching shot on net that got past the blocker of Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner. He had initially turned the puck over in the offensive zone, but Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard gave the puck right back to Rodrigues to make the goal possible.

Rodrigues ended up adding an insurance goal at the 12:26 mark of the third period. He was able to deflect a pass from forward Anton Lundell into the net to extend Florida's lead to 3-1.

Rodrigues has tallied goals in back-to-back games to start off the Stanley Cup Final. The 30-year old signed a four-year, $12 million contract with Florida in the offseason after spending the 2022-23 campaign with the Colorado Avalanche, and has proved to be a massive acquisition for the Panthers thus far.

Despite being severely outshot in the first period, the Oilers managed to get on the scoreboard first. 

In a four-on-four scenario, Edmonton star Connor McDavid got the odd-man rush started in his own zone and defenseman Mattias Ekholm found himself leading a three-on-one in the offensive zone. Ekholm elected to keep the puck himself, and ripped a shot that Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky couldn't stop from going through his five-hole.

For the second consecutive game, the game's first goal came on a team's first shot on goal.

Midway through the second period, the Panthers tied the game with a goal coming courtesy of their blue line. Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola was able to beat Skinner's glove hand off of a stellar drop pass from teammate Anton Lundell to tie the game at 1.

Entering Game 2, Mikkola had registered just a goal and two assists during the postseason, and hadn't scored since Game 5 of the Florida's opening-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

As has been a theme throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Bobrovsky proved to be strong in the crease yet again. The Panthers goalie stopped 18 of the 19 shots that he faced, and has surrendered only one goal in the first two games of the series.

[Jun 10, 2024 at 10:06 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

End of 2nd Period: Oilers 1, Panthers 1

The Panthers finally broke through and were able to get the puck past Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner. After nearly putting the puck in his own net, Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola scored off of a tremendous drop pass from teammate Anton Lundell. The game is tied 1-1 despite the Panthers holding a massive 22-7 lead in the shots department. Skinner made a massive save to stop Sam Bennett late in the second period as Bennett was wide-open in the slot from point blank range. 

[Jun 10, 2024 at 10:01 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

Stuart Skinner absolutely robs Sam Bennett in front. Bennett had a wide-open shot after Evan Rodrigues got him the puck, but Skinner slide across to make the stop. 

[Jun 10, 2024 at 9:57 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins rings one off of the post just moments after the power-play expired. On the other end of the ice, Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard, who provides a ton of offensive upside on Edmonton's blue line, will gets two minutes for slashing. Will either team cash in on the man advantage at some point tonight?

[Jun 10, 2024 at 9:51 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

The Oilers will get another power-play opportunity. Carter Verhaeghe goes to the box for...you guessed it, tripping. Edmonton will look to score their first power-play goal of the series.

[Jun 10, 2024 at 9:44 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

Niko Mikkola ties up Game 2. Mikkola sends a scorching shot over the glove of Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner off of a drop pass from Anton Lundell to tie the game at 1-1. It almost felt inevitable that the Panthers would break through and get a goal eventually the way they were playing.

[Jun 10, 2024 at 9:41 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

It's felt like the Panthers have controlled this game from puck drop, but don't have anything to show for it thus far. Florida is outshooting Edmonton 14-5 so far, but both teams are 0-for-5 on the power-play. Neither goaltender has been tested an insane amount up to this point.

[Jun 10, 2024 at 9:32 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

Darnell Nurse just arrived back on the bench, but has yet to appear on the ice since being hit by Evan Rodrigues in the opening period. Nurse will likely be back on the ice at some point in this period, and that should give the Oilers a huge boost since they'd been using just five defensemen with Nurse in the locker room.

[Jun 10, 2024 at 9:27 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

The Panthers kill off the Matthew Tkachuk penalty, and we're even once again. Still nothing from the power-play department for either team in Game 2.

[Jun 10, 2024 at 9:24 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

Tripping seems to be a common theme throughout the night. Matthew Tkachuk will go to the box for a tripping penalty and we'll have four-on-four for 32 seconds while the Evan Bouchard penalty wraps up.