The Florida Panthers have received a significant boost with the return of Eetu Luostarinen to their roster.
A year after a broken leg sidelined him for the Stanley Cup Final, the versatile Finn is back and healthy. This development is crucial for the Panthers as they pursue their first championship in franchise history.
Luostarinen made several key defensive plays in their shutout victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 on Saturday night, sealing the win with an empty-net goal in the final seconds.
“First final game for me, so it was exciting,” Luostarinen said Sunday. “I’m just trying to do my best every game. We had fun, and being able to score that goal was fun.”
Last season, the Panthers were plagued by injuries—Brandon Montour’s torn shoulder, Matthew Tkachuk’s broken sternum, Radko Gudas’ sprained ankle, Aaron Ekblad’s broken foot, among others—which contributed to their loss to Vegas in five games. Coach Paul Maurice noted that the Panthers are as healthy as a hockey team can be at this stage of the season.
The impact of Luostarinen’s return is noticeable, highlighting his all-around capabilities.
“We always thought highly of him last year, but I think absence makes the heart grow fonder,” Maurice said. “When he missed that series, we really noticed it. It changed so much of what we do. He’s been a big player for us. He’s one of those all-around players—he grinds hard, makes good plays, blocks shots. Probably focused on the defensive side of the game, so he doesn’t get quite as much notoriety, but he’s a really important part of our game.”
On the other side, the Oilers are grappling with a less-than-100% Evander Kane, who has been struggling with a sports hernia throughout the playoffs. Kane, who has eight points through 19 playoff games, took many practices off and struggled in Game 1.
“Obviously, he’s not the Evander Kane of a couple of years ago,” coach Kris Knoblauch said. “It’s unfortunate for any player. Any time you’re battling something, it takes away from your game, no matter if you’re a skilled, speedy forward, defensive forward, or a power forward. It takes a toll on you. It’s tougher to find your game.”
Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky achieved a milestone with a Stanley Cup Final shutout at the age of 35 years, 262 days in Game 1. He became only the fifth goalie in the last 55 seasons to secure a shutout win in the Cup final after turning 35.
The Panthers are now favored to win the Stanley Cup, with odds at minus-250 according to BetMGM Sportsbook. This means a $250 bet would yield a $100 profit. Edmonton is listed with plus-200 odds, meaning a $100 wager on the Oilers would return a total of $300.
Maurice began his Game 1 post-game press conference by congratulating the Florida Everblades on winning the ECHL title—the Kelly Cup—for the third consecutive season. He praised team president Craig Brush, head coach, and general manager Brad Ralph, and gave a nod to his son, Jake Maurice, who has been the Everblades’ play-by-play voice for the past two seasons.
“The kid’s been in pro hockey two years, he has two rings,” Paul Maurice said. “Possibly unbearable it’s going to be at my house.”
The Everblades, a Panthers minor league affiliate, play their home games in Estero, Florida, about a 90-minute drive from where the Panthers play.
Leave a Reply