LAS VEGAS (AP) — Zach Whitecloud scored from long-range with just over 13 minutes left, after Adin Hill made arguably the best save of the playoffs, and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Florida Panthers 5-2 Saturday night in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final.
Whitecloud’s goal put Vegas ahead, a crucial penalty kill followed and captain Mark Stone scored an insurance marker that was reviewed for a high stick and confirmed. That combination, plus Hill’s 31 saves, gave Vegas the lead in the series after a feisty opener between Sun Belt teams who wasted little time getting acquainted with big hits during the play and plenty of post-whistle pushing and shoving.
Original Knights players Jonathan Marchessault and Shea Theodore also scored on Florida’s two-time Vezina winner Sergei Bobrovsky. Back in the final, they’ll now try to avoid the same result as in 2018, when Vegas beat Washington in Game 1 and lost the next four to fall short of hoisting the Cup in its inaugural season.
Game 2 is Monday in Las Vegas and can be seen on Sportsnet and SN NOW at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.
