Knights do it again as late surge delivers G1 win
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Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter
LAS VEGAS — The Golden Knights won Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Panthers by doing something they have done throughout the postseason — rallying from an early deficit before surging to a late lead and winning.
Vegas led 2-1 until Florida’s Anthony Duclair tied the score with 10.2 seconds left in the second period. Duclair’s goal set up a third period that saw both teams become a bit more aggressive, but the Golden Knights exploded for three goals in a 5-2 win Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.
“It was an unfortunate bounce there at the end of the second, so I still thought we had played a pretty solid second period there and started to gain some momentum,” Golden Knights captain Mark Stone said. “Really liked the way we were playing. I thought the third period, obviously they’re a good team and they create stuff, but overall I thought we had a pretty solid period.”
Nine. That’s the number of times the Golden Knights have fallen behind in a game during these playoffs only to come back and win. Technically, that happened again Saturday, given that they trailed in the first period when Eric Staal scored. The Panthers’ lead was short-lived, with Jonathan Marchessault scoring later in the period for a 1-1 tie. The Golden Knights took a 2-1 lead midway through the second when Shea Theodore scored his first goal of the playoffs.
Duclair’s goal was the product of a faceoff scrum that was just to the left of goaltender Adin Hill. A loose puck was up for grabs when Duclair barely skated a full stride and instantly ripped a wrist shot that was deflected off Zach Whitecloud‘s stick before beating Hill to tie the score at 2.
Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said the Panthers deserved to score a goal in the second period. He referenced how the Panthers kept threatening, such as when Aleksander Barkov had a shot that bounced off the post from the point that could have made a difference earlier in the frame.
To Cassidy’s point, the Panthers controlled possession in the second with a shot share of 59.46% in 5-on-5 play, according to data from Natural Stat Trick.
“I hate to say that, but they had earned some really good opportunities,” Cassidy said. “So for us it was a little bit, yeah, we gave up a late goal. But I rather it then than at the start of the third, to be honest with you. So we have time to go in and regroup and sort of say ‘settle down’ and ‘get back to work.’ … They had generated some good looks. It wasn’t like we played this perfect period and it was demoralizing.”
Panthers coach Paul Maurice said he thought both teams traded scoring chances to start the third period. While true, the Panthers appeared to be more aggressive.
It started when Hill stopped a wrist shot from Nick Cousins barely 20 seconds into the period and continued when the Panthers generated four shot attempts within 40 seconds less than four minutes into the third.
“We had a good chance right out the gate, and I think they came down and had a chance,” Maurice said. “The game opened up a little bit. We were all right with that too. We’ll play a tight game, we’ll play a loose game — not that we prefer to, but we don’t mind the rush a little bit at times.”
Fending off that Panthers barrage eventually led to the Golden Knights controlling possession before Whitecloud scored the first of three straight goals with a shot from the point that beat Sergei Bobrovsky for a 3-2 lead with 13:01 left.
Then came the goal from Stone that saw the two-way winger knock down a puck out of midair, corral possession and launch a wrist shot to beat Bobrovsky for a 4-2 advantage. Reilly Smith scored an empty-netter with more than two minutes left to push the lead to 5-2.
Asked what went wrong for the Panthers, Maurice offered a little levity to the situation. He referenced how the Panthers had fallen into holes earlier in the playoffs en route to making the Stanley Cup Final.
“Everybody just f—ing breathe,” Maurice said. “I feel like you people that have been here, you’re tight. Let’s loosen you up a bit.”
Cassidy spent part of his postgame news conference talking about Hill’s 33-save performance, which was highlighted by a paddle save that was reminiscent of former Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby.
The Golden Knights coach said he would rank Hill’s Game 1 performance among the strongest of the postseason.
“The shutout the other night in Dallas I thought was more of a team effort than an individual effort,” Cassidy said. “But certainly tonight — and it’s a team effort, don’t get me wrong — I just thought we were rock-solid in front of him [against Dallas] but we had some holes today, including right to the end where we gave up a short-handed breakaway with two defensemen on the ice.
“It was just one of those nights, I think, the emotion was in the building and everyone was caught up in a little bit, and thank God he was nice and calm.”
Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski is a National League All-Star replacement, giving the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander a chance to break Paul Skenes‘ record for the fewest big league appearances before playing in the Midsummer Classic.
Misiorowski was named Friday night to replace Chicago Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, who will be unavailable for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Atlanta because he is scheduled to start Saturday at the New York Yankees.
The 23-year-old Misiorowski has made just five starts for the Brewers, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA while averaging 99.3 mph on his fastball, with 89 pitches that have reached 100 mph.
If he pitches at Truist Park, Misiorowski will make it consecutive years for a player to set the mark for fewest big league games before an All-Star showing.
Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander getting ready for his second All-Star appearance, had made 11 starts in the majors when he was chosen as the NL starter for last year’s All-Star Game at Texas. He pitched a scoreless inning.
“I’m speechless,” said a teary-eyed Misiorowski, who said he was given the news a few minutes before the Brewers’ 8-3 victory over Washington. “It’s awesome. It’s very unexpected and it’s an honor.”
Misiorowski is the 30th first-time All-Star and 16th replacement this year. There are now 80 total All-Stars.
“He’s impressive. He’s got some of the best stuff in the game right now, even though he’s a young pitcher,” said Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is a starting AL outfielder for his seventh All-Star nod. “He’s going to be a special pitcher in this game for a long time so I think he deserved it and it’s going be pretty cool for him and his family.”
Carlos Rodón, Carlos Estévez and Casey Mize were named replacement pitchers on the AL roster.
The New York Yankees‘ Rodón, an All-Star for the third time in five seasons, will replace teammate Max Fried for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. Fried will be unavailable because he is scheduled to start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.
In his final start before the All-Star game, Rodón allowed four hits and struck out eight in eight innings in an 11-0 victory over the Cubs.
“This one’s a little special for me,” said Rodón, an All-Star in 2021 and ’22 who was 3-8 in his first season with the Yankees two years ago before rebounding. “I wasn’t good when I first got here, and I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t to going to give up and just put my best foot forward and try to win as many games as I can.”
The Kansas City Royals‘ Estévez replaces Texas’ Jacob deGrom, who is scheduled to start at Houston on Saturday night. Estévez was a 2023 All-Star when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.
Mize takes the spot held by Boston‘s Garrett Crochet, who is scheduled to start Saturday against Tampa Bay. Mize gives the Tigers six All-Stars, most of any team and tied for the franchise record.
Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will replace Tampa Bay‘s Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list with left oblique tightness. The additions of Estévez and Garcia give the Royals four All-Stars, matching their 2024 total.
The Seattle Mariners announced center fielder Julio Rodríguez will not participate, and he was replaced by teammate Randy Arozarena. Rodríguez had been voted onto the AL roster via the players’ ballot. The Mariners, who have five All-Stars, said Rodríguez will use the break to “recuperate, rest and prepare for the second half.”
Arozarena is an All-Star for the second time. He started in left field for the AL two years ago, when he was with Tampa Bay. Arozarena was the runner-up to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the 2023 Home Run Derby.
Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, a first-time All-Star, is replacing Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is scheduled to start Saturday night at Arizona. Rasmussen is 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 18 starts.
San Diego added a third NL All-Star reliever in lefty Adrián Morejón, who replaces Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler. The Phillies’ right-hander is scheduled to start at San Diego on Saturday night. Morejón entered the weekend with a 1.71 ERA in 45 appearances.
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