Maurice, Florida Panthers Do Not Blame Nosek for Game 1 Loss

Tomas Nosek went from being a healthy scratch, to centering the fourth line for the Florida Panthers in the postseason, to the penalty box in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Nosek’s delay of game penalty with 1:43 remaining in overtime Wednesday night led to Leon Draisaitl’s game-winner in a 4-3 win that gave the Edmonton Oilers a 1-0 lead in the best-of-7 series.

After the game, coach Paul Maurice said the play was a “tough break,’’ and alluded to having Nosek back in the lineup for Game 2 on Friday night.

Maurice was asked after the game what he would say to Nosek.

He said he would remind him of where things were — Nosek lost his job as Florida’s No. 4 center when Nico Sturm was acquired at the trade deadline — and where things are.

Maurice changed up Florida’s fourth line after the Game 2 loss to the Maple Leafs in the second round and has stuck with it since.

“Remind him of being down 0-2 to Toronto, and that line came in and changed everything for us,’’ Maurice said. “We’re not here without Tomas Nosek. It’s a tough break. We make sure he doesn’t eat alone tonight, he has lots of people sitting at his table reminding him of how good he has been for us.

“It’s going to be tough. He’s going to eat that one for a day. But from his penalty kill to that line changing the flow of that Toronto series, we’ll remind him of that a whole bunch of times.’’

Said Brad Marchand: “That stuff happens in the game of hockey. You know, it’s a bad break. He’s been a great player for us all year, all playoffs. So, yeah, we have his back on that one.”

PANTHERS/ OILERS / FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW

• The Panthers have plenty to work on before Game 2 of the Final comes Friday night.
• The Best of Game 1 from NHL.com
• Maurice had to make a lineup change before Game 1.
• Draisaitl was the man of the moment on Wednesday night.
• For the first time since 2008, one organization has its NHL team playing for the Stanley Cup and their AHL team playing for the Calder Cup. And it’s the Panthers.
• Aaron Ekblad is a free agent after the Stanley Cup Final is over — but he says he “bleeds” for the Panthers and doesn’t want to go anywhere else. Ever.
• Thanks to some nifty moves, the Panthers retooled their blueline on the fly.
• Don’t forget to subscribe to the FHN YouTube channel to watch interviews with the Florida Panthers throughout the postseason. Wednesday brought a ton of video from media day; more today.

NHL LINKS / NATIONAL HOCKEY NOW

• The Pittsburgh Penguins have a new coach. Who, exactly, is Dan Muse?
• The NHL and NHLPA are progressing in their talks for a new CBA.
• Nikita Kucherov won the Ted Lindsay Award which is voted on by the NHL’s players.
• Brock Nelson is returning to the Colorado Avalanche.
• If the Stars are moving Jason Robertson, the Philadelphia Flyers need to be all in.
• The New York Islanders will host some sort of All-Star thing in 2027.
• Jake Allen changes tune, wants to return to New Jersey Devils.

2025 STANLEY CUP FINAL

GAME 2

FLORIDA PANTHERS @ EDMONTON OILERS

Edmonton Leads Best-of-7 Series 1-0

• When: Friday, 8 p.m.
• Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton
• National TV: TNT/truTV 
• National Streaming: Max
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys), SiriusXM
• Radio Streaming: SiriusXM, NHL App
• Series Schedule (all games at 8 p.m., TNT) — Game 1: @Edmonton 4, Florida 3 OT; Game 2: @Edmonton Friday; Game 3: @Florida Monday; Game 4: @Florida, Thursday June 12; Game 5*: @Edmonton, Saturday June 14; Game 6*: @Florida, Tuesday June 17; Game 7*: @Edmonton, Friday June 20.
• Regular Season (Panthers won 2-0) — At Florida: Panthers 4, Oilers 3 (Feb. 27). At Edmonton: Panthers 6, Oilers 5 (Dec. 16).
• How They Got Here: Edmonton d. Los Angeles (6), Vegas (5), Dallas (5); Florida d. Tampa Bay (5), Toronto (7), Carolina (5)
• Postseason History: Florida Won 2024 Stanley Cup Final 4-3
• All-time Regular Season Series: Oilers lead 23-18-0, 3 ties