Golden Knights rally to tip Panthers 5-2 in Stanley Cup final opener
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) defends against the Florida Panthers during the third period of Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Saturday, June 3, 2023, in Las Vegas. The Golden Knights defeated the Panthers 5-2. (AP Photo/John Locher)
LAS VEGAS -
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 33 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 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.
Game 2 is Monday in Las Vegas.
The Panthers ratcheted up the physical play late after falling behind by two. A handful of penalties resulting from a fracas with 4:24 remaining left the Florida bench well short.
But the outcome was determined long before that.
After falling behind on a short-handed goal by Eric Staal that sucked the life out of the crowd of 18,432, the Golden Knights rallied for their ninth comeback win this playoffs. Marchessault -- known since arriving in Las Vegas when the franchise got its start for scoring big goals -- answered before the end of the first period and Theodore scored his first since March 7 in the second.
In between, Hill made a desperation stick save to rob Nick Cousins of what would have been a sure goal. The save was reminiscent of the one Washington's Braden Holtby made against Vegas -- in the same crease -- five years ago.
Giving up a tying goal to Anthony Duclair with 10.2 seconds left in the second did not slow the Golden Knights' momentum much. Whitecloud's goal, with Bobrovsky screened and unable to see, fired up fans once again.
The Golden Knights are in the final for the second time in six years of existence, five years after making it in their inaugural season. Vegas won the opener in 2018 and lost the series to Washington in five games. Six players are left from that original team.
The Panthers are back playing for the Cup for the first time since 1996. Florida got swept by Colorado in that final 27 years ago, 18 months before Tkachuk, the team's leading scorer this playoffs, was born.
It's the 66th different matchup of teams in the Cup final in NHL history and the 46th since the expansion era began in 1967-68. This is the first time since Washington-Vegas and just the third time since the turn of the century in which the final features two teams who have never won the league's championship.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Homeowners brace for mortgage payment shock amid higher-for-longer rate outlook
From ultra-low interest rates that led to a huge spike in real estate demand to the speed with which interest rates shot up to levels not seen in a generation, it's been hard to keep up with the shifting landscape for mortgage holders.
McDonald's, Wendy's defeat lawsuit over size of burgers
McDonald's and Wendy's have defeated a lawsuit accusing them of deceiving hungry diners by exaggerating the size of their burgers.
New study shows where you fall on new internet addiction spectrum
Researchers have come up with categories for people who are addicted to the internet and for those who are at risk.
Trump seethes through the start of trial in New York lawsuit accusing him of lying about his wealth
Aggrieved and defiant, former U.S. president Donald Trump sat through hours of sometimes testy opening statements Monday in a fraud lawsuit that could cost him control of Trump Tower and other prized properties.
What you need to know about the election of a new Speaker
On Tuesday, MPs will be electing a new Speaker of the House of Commons, in the wake of Anthony Rota's resignation. It will be a day for the Canadian political history books, as well as a day full of pomp and procedure. Here's what you need to know about the role, the contenders, and the process.
Diwali fireworks advisory issued despite warnings it might be discriminatory: emails
An Environment Canada advisory that singled out Diwali fireworks as a reason to prepare for poor air quality last October was issued despite multiple warnings from some staff about it being discriminatory.
Late-night shows return after writers strike as actors resume talks that could end their standoff
Late-night talk shows are returning Monday after a five-month absence brought on by the Hollywood writers strike, while actors completed the first day of talks that could end their own long work walk-off.
Federal ministers still lack mandate letters, two months after majority shuffled
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has yet to issue mandate letters for his cabinet ministers, two months after announcing an overhaul to his front bench.
Grizzly bear attacks rare, but a risk in wilderness, experts say after Banff deaths
Grizzly bear experts say fatal attacks are extremely rare, but it's always a risk when people venture into the wilderness.
Politics
-
What you need to know about the election of a new Speaker
On Tuesday, MPs will be electing a new Speaker of the House of Commons, in the wake of Anthony Rota's resignation. It will be a day for the Canadian political history books, as well as a day full of pomp and procedure. Here's what you need to know about the role, the contenders, and the process.
-
Federal ministers still lack mandate letters, two months after majority shuffled
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has yet to issue mandate letters for his cabinet ministers, two months after announcing an overhaul to his front bench.
-
Top-secret national security data behind precedent-setting Canadian spy trial
The trial of Cameron Ortis, a former senior RCMP intelligence official accused of passing on top-secret national security data, is set to begin on Tuesday.
Health
-
U.S. health officials propose using a cheap antibiotic as a 'morning-after pill' against STDs
U.S. health officials plan to endorse a common antibiotic as a morning-after pill that gay and bisexual men can use to try to avoid some increasingly common sexually transmitted diseases.
-
Where can I get a COVID-19 rapid test? CTV News looks at the rules in each province and territory
As Canadians prepare for another respiratory virus season this fall and winter, some may be curious to know if what they have is a cold, flu or possibly COVID-19. With rapid antigen tests being one popular option, CTV News looks at how many are still in stock in Canada and where you can get one.
-
UN authorizes a second malaria vaccine. Experts warn it's not enough to stop the disease spreading
The World Health Organization authorized a second malaria vaccine on Monday, a decision that could offer countries a cheaper and a more readily available option than the world's first shot against the parasitic disease.
Sci-Tech
-
Sam Bankman-Fried must now convince a jury that the former crypto king was not a crook
For a while, Sam Bankman-Fried tried to convince politicians and the public that he was the next J.P. Morgan. Now, he has to convince a jury that he wasn't, in reality, the next Bernie Madoff.
-
Scientists have observed antimatter free-falling due to gravity for the first time
For the first time, an international team of scientists have directly observed that antimatter – the mysterious counterpart to ordinary matter – free-falls under gravity, answering a question which has been the subject of endless speculation among the scientific community.
-
Venus may be choked in toxic clouds, but lightning could be a rare sight there, new data suggests
We know the second planet from the Sun to be an inhospitable place, cloaked in thick, yellow clouds of sulfuric acid – but according to a new study, a hypothetical trip to Venus might not be full of thunder and lightning.
Entertainment
-
Late-night shows return after writers strike as actors resume talks that could end their standoff
Late-night talk shows are returning Monday after a five-month absence brought on by the Hollywood writers strike, while actors completed the first day of talks that could end their own long work walk-off.
-
A second U.K. police force is looking into allegations of sexual offences committed by Russell Brand
A second British police force is looking into sexual offences allegedly committed by actor and comedian Russell Brand, British media reported Monday.
-
Beyonce, like Taylor, is heading to movie theaters with a new film
A documentary chronicling Beyonce's just-concluded 39-city Renaissance World Tour will premiere in North American theaters Dec. 1, AMC Theaters announced Monday.
