Superstar Connor McDavid believes the Edmonton Oilers' 3-0 loss to the Florida Panthers on Saturday may have been due in part to some karma.

"Maybe it was the hockey gods getting us back for that Game 6 where we probably didn't deserve to win," McDavid quipped.

The Oilers won Game 6 against the Dallas Stars 2-1 with only 10 shots on goal to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. Stuart Skinner made 33 saves in that contest.

Edmonton dropped Game 1 of the final on Saturday despite outshooting the Panthers 32-18.

"Tonight, maybe we deserved at least one goal or maybe two goals, and we don't find a way to get them," McDavid said. "This group will stick with it, bounce back. That's what we take a lot of pride in doing. We'll gear up for a big one on Monday."

Zach Hyman believes the Oilers will be just fine if they continue to play like they did in Game 1.

"We had our looks. I thought we played pretty well, overall," Hyman said. "(Sergei Bobrovsky's) a good goalie over there. He made some good saves. But I liked our game."

Hyman added: "I think we're right there. We're very confident in our group, we've been in positions like this before. They're a good team. We're a really good team."

The Oilers had 18 high-danger chances, according to Natural Stat Trick, more than double Florida's six. It's only the third time the Panthers have been outshot this postseason.

Game 2 is Monday at 8 p.m. ET.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 32 saves as the Florida Panthers shut out the Edmonton Oilers 3-0 on Saturday in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Panthers fired 18 shots on goal. It's only the third time Florida has been outshot in the postseason.

This is the first time in franchise history that the Panthers have held a series lead in the final.

Bobrovsky, 35, is the oldest goalie to post a shutout in the Stanley Cup Final since Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas in 2011. It's also the first Game 1 shutout in a final since 2011, when the Vancouver Canucks' Roberto Luongo blanked the Bruins.

The win is Bobrovsky's 13th in this playoff run, setting a new franchise mark for a Panthers goaltender in a single postseason. Bobrovsky and John Vanbiesbrouck shared the previous record of 12, setting it last year and in 1996, respectively.

"Everything you want in a teammate, especially a goalie," star forward Matthew Tkachuk said, according to TSN's Chris Johnston.

Carter Verhaeghe opened the scoring four minutes into the first period of Saturday's game. Evan Rodrigues put the Panthers up 2-0 in the second, and Eetu Luostarinen sealed the victory with an empty-netter.

Oilers superstar Connor McDavid played 25:19 in his final debut. He recorded six shots and was a minus-2.

"Lots to like," McDavid said of the Oilers' performance, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli. "We didn't give up too much, what we did give up was dangerous. Not a ton of puck luck around their net."

Edmonton had an 18-6 edge in high-danger chances, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Game 2 is Monday at 8 p.m. ET.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.