LIVE: Panthers win 3-0 in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final

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The Edmonton Oilers are taking on the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Fla. and the city of champions is abuzz.

This story will be updated throughout the day as we speak with fans outside Rogers Place at the Moss Pit with puck drop scheduled for 6 p.m. MT.

Oilers game day notes

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Bobrovsky stands tall as Panthers defeat Oilers 3-0 in Game 1

The Florida Panthers have drawn first blood in the NHL Stanley Cup Final.

Carter Verhaeghe scored the opening goal on the Panthers’ first shot of the game en route to a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena.

Evan Rodrigues scored his fourth of the playoffs to make it a 2-0 game in the second period on a dump-and-chase play that fooled Oilers’ defencemen Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci. Rodrigues was left all alone in front to send the puck soaring over goaltender Stuart Skinner’s shoulder.

Forward Eetu Luostarinen scored an empty net goal late in the third period to make it a 3-0 final.

Game 2 of the seven-game series goes Monday in Sunrise, Fla. at 6 p.m.

Panthers strengthen lead to make it 2-0

Evan Rodrigues scored his fourth of the playoffs to make it a 2-0 game on a dump-and-chase play that fooled Oilers’ defencemen Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci. Rodrigues was left all alone in front to send the puck soaring over Skinner’s shoulder.

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Meanwhile, the Oilers continue to pepper Sergei Bobrovsky with shots but the Russian netminder turned aside all attempts as the Panthers were outshot 26-12.

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Panthers take early 1-0 lead

The Florida Panthers have drawn first blood.

Carter Verhaeghe scored the game’s opening goal to make it 1-0 in first period against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena.

Despite trailing on the scoreboard, the Oilers outshot the Panthers throughout the first 20 minutes 13-4.

Mattias Ekholm took the first penalty of the period seven minutes in for tripping the Panthers’ against Kyle Okposo, while the Panthers’ Gustav Forsling was called equally for tripping against Connor McDavid with six minutes left in the period.

Both Adam Henrique and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins were left stymied on breakaways on Panthers’ netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, who stood tall making a series of stellar saves all period.

Verhaeghe took a late high-sticking penalty on Evan Bouchard which will give the Oilers a 1:52 powerplay to start the second period.

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‘This hit so hard’: Hockey world erupts in praise for tear-jerker Edmonton Oilers hype video for Stanley Cup finals

By David Staples

This in from the Edmonton Oilers on the day of the first game of 2024 Stanley Cup Finals between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers, the single best home team hype video of the year.

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Party just getting started

Postmedia reporter Jackie Carmichael is waiting for the party to start inside Ford Hall at Rogers Place. She ran into Denny, Julius, Tate, Carmelo, Tyler from Edmonton. “We are all 06-ers, we were born in 2006, and that’s the last time they made the finals,” said Tyler.

His prediction? “Oilers in 7,” he said above the din of a drum chant of “Let’s go Oilers!”

Tammy Delorey has been at the front of the line to get into the watch party since 1 p.m.

She recently got some new ink done on her forearm with no. 17 Jari Kurri on one end of an oil drop and no. 74 Stuart Skinner on the other. The latter is Delorey’s favourite Oiler as she sports a signed Skinner jersey and a Skinner chain necklace.

“He’s a really good goaltender, he’s humble and just wonderful,” she said.

By 6 p.m. the watch party had reached capacity.

NHL Corgi picks Oilers in 6

This just in: the NHL Corgi has spoken. The prognosticating pooch—otherwise known as Steph Furry the Air Corgi— is calling for the Edmonton Oilers to win in six over the Florida Panthers. Who are we to argue with such a good doggo?

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NDP MP Heather McPherson cheers on Oilers from Ottawa

Edmonton-Strathcona MP Heather McPherson stood in the House of Commons Friday to give a shout-out to her hometown Edmonton Oilers — and take a not-so-subtle shot at the Toronto Maple Leafs in the process.

“Mister Speaker, I grew up in Edmonton in the 80s, and when my dad too me to a game, it was magic. Messier, Fuhr, Coffey, Anderson, Lowe and, of course, Wayne Gretzky,” McPherson said.

“And now we have a new dynasty beginning. We got (Zach) Hyman, who has scored more goals in the playoffs than the entire Toronto Maple Leafs.”

And the crowd goes wild. Well played.

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Superfan Mama Stanley ready to cheer on the Edmonton Oilers in their quest for the Cup

By Jackie Carmichael

With the Oilers on the doorstep of the Stanley Cup, Mary Loewen has her job cut out.

As Mama Stanley, her sworn duty is to cheer the Oilers to victory, under layers of Cup adornment: silver makeup, a tinsel wig, a silver crown with 3,200 hand-applied sequins, and silver blazers. Then there’s the white moccasins — a nod to her Indigenous heritage, and her upbringing on Keeseekoose First Nation on the border of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Now she’s ready to dazzle, crackling with positivity.

“I’m all about the energy,” she says, a smile lighting up the face known to thousands as just “Mama Stanley.”

Over the last three years, she’s assumed the Mama Stanley persona come playoff time — a hobby that keeps her glued to her arena seat or the TV, to the last horn of the game, if they’re behind or ahead or tied.

The ultimate compliment? One woman even made her a doll of herself, cherubic and smiling under a mop of tinsel hair.

“I just got a message that said Edmonton loves me and people love me across the country,” she said, scrolling through her phone. “It feels amazing — I love this ride that I’m on, and I’m just happy that I bring joy and hope to people.”

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Oil on skin: Edmonton Oilers fan reflects on back tattoo from 2006 final

By Zac Delaney

While the Edmonton Oilers continue their quest for the Stanley Cup, the iconic trophy has been part of lifelong fan, Kevin Genest, for 18 years.

In the spring of 2006, the city of Edmonton was experiencing a similar boom to now. After a middling performance in the 2005/06 season, the Oilers managed to claw their way to the Stanley Cup Final, igniting the city into a fan frenzy. Amid the excitement, a local radio station hosted a contest prompting participants to do various challenges for the chance to win $35,000.

With the Oilers back in the Stanley Cup Final, most fans are reminiscing of the last time the team made it this far. For Genest, there’s an easy memory that sticks out. It’s a painful one, and it’s one he’ll literally never forget.

From the nape of his neck, to just above his buttocks, Genest has Lord Stanley tattooed on his back — and while the ink may have faded, neither his love for the team nor his pride in the tattoo have.

“For whatever reason, something just came over me and I’m like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it,’ ” Genest said in an interview with Postmedia.

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The ink took so long he actually had two artists complete the work, with one starting in the morning and tagging out with another halfway through the day to finish the job.

“At about 12:30 p.m., I remember my body started going into shock a little bit,” said Genest.

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City mayors put jerseys on the line ahead of Stanley Cup clash

By Zac Delaney

On the eve of the beginning of the Stanley Cup Final, Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi and Sunrise, Fla., Mayor Michael J. Ryan have made a friendly wager for the NHL championship.

“It goes pretty much like this: when the Panthers win, I’ll send Mayor Sohi a jersey, and he’s going to probably wear it at one of the public functions to show his connection to South Florida. And if the Oilers win, then I will wear an Oilers jersey,” said Sunrise’s Ryan.

As the opening game of the Stanley Cup Final looms, the players are ready, the fans are ready, and now even the politicians are ready.

With the Edmonton Oilers headed more than 4,800 kilometres south for the first two games against the Florida Panthers, the series has attracted the attention of hockey lovers north and south of the border. With the bet in place between the two mayors, pride is on the line for both, with a Cup-hungry Edmonton fan base colliding with a unified, young, South Florida fan base.

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Saturday’s letters: Let down by inflated Oilers Stanley Cup ticket prices

Edmonton has some of the best hockey fans around. We sing, we dress up and we know how to have fun. All year we support the Oilers; some of us have the privilege of acquiring season tickets, some go to the odd game, and the rest of us maybe don’t have that disposable income so we watch on TV, and that’s just fine.

I have a big-time issue with price gouging whether it’s at the grocery store or a playoff ticket. I just read that the average ticket price is approximately $1,330 a seat. Does Katz not make enough cash? Are you having hard times? I’m sorry but you should be giving back to the community not taking more. Especially in this financial climate.

I was brought up to be a fair, honest, hardworking person from grandparents and parents who emigrated from the Netherlands in the ’50s for a better life. It’s called values, ethics, and giving back when you can.

I still love the Oilers and I’m super proud, however I’m very disappointed that you make it this hard for someone to afford a ticket to a playoff game.

Tracy Van Sloten, Sturgeon County

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