The Panthers fell short as they try to even the series

Despite losing Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Florida Panthers they are not ready to hit the panic button yet

In fact, far from it.

“It’s just one game,” forward Anthony Duclair said Sunday. “For us, we’ve been here before. Learn from (Saturday) night, watch some video and just have fun.”

THE Panthers the underdogs again before Game 2 of their best-of-seven series Vegas Golden Knights Monday night in Las Vegas

THE Golden Knights He is a 1.5-goal favorite at BetMGM, with 75 percent of line bets and 79 percent of money backed. However the PanthersThe +120 moneyline drew 63 percent of all bets and money

Meanwhile, Las Vegas was heavily backed by the BetRivers crowd. THE Golden Knights they drew 75 percent of their bets on the 1.5 goal puck line and their -137 money line

THE NEWS

“When you’re in that situation, it can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Duclair, who scored in Saturday’s 5-2 series-opening loss. “So you have to make the most of it.”

Duclair will undoubtedly take the lead Panthers Coach Paul Maurice, who drew attention to the fact that Florida, which barely made it to the playoffs as the eighth seed of the Eastern Conference, was in this position before.

“We also lost the first game in the Boston series (in Round 1),” Maurice said. “He got a little better. He lost two more. He got a little better. Everybody just (expletive) breathe.”

Maurice’s comments drew some laughter from the media, but he made his point. THE Panthers They rallied from a 3-1 deficit to upset the record-setting Bruins, followed that up with a five-game sweep of Toronto and a four-game sweep of Carolina in the Eastern Conference finals.

So, been there, done that.

“It’s the first game,” said goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who stopped 29 of 33 shots while suffering just his third loss in 14 playoff games. “It’s a long streak. There’s still a lot of hockey ahead of us. Let’s play, learn and move on.”

With a little more luck and not for the highlight reel save of Vegas goaltender Adin Hill, the outcome of Game 1 could have been very different.

Three of Florida’s shots hit the post in the first two periods, and Hill cut across the puck to deflect Nick Cousins’ chip shot into an open net with the blade of his stick.

“Just kind of desperation,” Hill admitted. “I reached out with my stick and got a piece of it.”

“It’s an unrealistic save, isn’t it?” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “You need those saves in key moments. We didn’t play our best game before that. I’ll be the first to admit that.”

Despite all this Panthers they were still tied 2-2 in the third period after Duclair scored from the top of the right circle with 11 seconds left in the period.

THE Golden KnightsZach Whitecloud scored the game-winner at 6:59 of the third period on a long point shot that sailed past a double screen. Mark Stone hit the ball in the low slot to make it 4-2, then quickly hit a wrist shot with 6:19 left and Reilly Smith closed out the win with an empty netter.

KEY STAT

Vegas also won Game 1 in their first Stanley Cup Final of the 2017-18 season, but then lost four straight to the Washington Capitals.

THEY SAID

“Obviously the first game was huge to get the win. (But) there’s still a lot of work to do.” — Vegas center Jonathan Marchessault, who scored his team-leading 10th goal of the playoffs.

— Field Level Media