Matthew Tkachuk confident of bouncing back, rallies Panthers after Game 1 loss

Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk isn’t worried after their 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Tkachuk recorded an assist, three shots and two hits in Game 1. He now has five goals and 12 assists in 18 playoff games this year.

Speaking to the media after Wednesday's close overtime loss, Tkachuk talked about coming back stronger in Game 2.

"We've got a lot of battle scars on us from the last few years, and we've been through way worse than just yesterday," Tkachuk said Thursday via NHL.com. "We can be better, we can adjust a few things and come out tomorrow and try to get a win here and get some momentum going back home."

In Game 1, Tkachuk's line played a key role and maintained the Panthers' offensive rhythm. Tkachuk plays on the Panthers' second line with Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett. They scored the opening goal for Florida, tying the Game 1-1. Later Bennett scored another to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead on which only Verhaeghe assisted.

Game 1 was a tough one. Florida let go of a two-goal lead and lost despite leading 3-1 early in the second period. Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl scored the winning power-play goal with 31 seconds left in overtime.

Still, this is not new for Florida. Since the start of the 2023 playoffs, they’ve lost Game 1 five times and bounced back to win four of those series. Their only loss came in the 2023 Final against Vegas.

The Panthers know they need to tighten their defense. Edmonton dominated high-danger chances and outshot Florida heavily in the third period and overtime. Now, Game 2 is on Friday at Rogers Place. If the Panthers win, they head back to Florida with the series tied and momentum on their side.

Evander Kane talks about playing against Matthew Tkachuk

Evander Kane is healthy this year and ready to help the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final. Last year, he was injured and could not play much. Now, he feels good and wants to make a difference. When asked about facing Matthew Tkachuk, Kane said:

"What's it like? It’s like any other player — he just talks a little more.”

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Kane played over 22 minutes in Game 1 and made hits on nine Panthers. The Oilers know the Panthers will fight hard in the next games.

About the author

Abhilasha is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda. Holding a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, her interest in writing hockey was piqued after watching an NHL skills video on YouTube. The 2023 Stanley Cup Finale series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers was among the most iconic games she has seen and it left an impact on her.

Her reporting strengths include covering news stories and following stars like McDavid, Matthews and Alex Ovechkin, among others.

Abhilasha is a huge fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche because of their skilled forwards, while her favorite players include Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Connor Bedard. For her, John Tortorella is the greatest coach ever.

Abhilasha has over 3 years of experience writing content for different products and websites, along with handling social media content for various brands. She values using credible sources when writing and likes to identify fake and false narratives.

Abhilasha’s hobbies include spiritual reading, staying updated on the latest makeup trends, fitness and exploring new destinations through travel.

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Edited by Veer Badani