SUNRISE, Fla. — Evan Rodrigues smiled large Monday night time when a Toronto columnist requested what he would have stated earlier than the Stanley Cup Last had he been informed two video games in that he’d be outscoring Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman, who mixed for 127 regular-season objectives.
“It’s fairly cool,” the Florida Panthers ahead stated, then shifting into wise-veteran mode and exhibiting some humility in not giving the Edmonton Oilers, down 0-2 within the best-of-seven championship collection, further motivation going again house.
“I’m not too anxious in regards to the level totals or objectives. On the finish of the day, we’re in search of wins right here and, yeah, that’s all I care about. It’s good to contribute. It’s good to contribute to a win.”
The 30-year-old Rodrigues isn’t solely outscoring these three skills 3-0 on the purpose blotter two video games into the Last. He’s outscoring the 13 Oilers forwards who’ve dressed by the identical margin.
An undrafted participant out of Boston College enjoying on his fourth crew in 5 years, Rodrigues’ three objectives are tied for essentially the most in NHL historical past via a participant’s first two Cup Last video games. On Monday night time, in a 4-1 Florida victory throughout which Rodrigues scored a pair of third-period objectives, he turned the primary participant in Panthers historical past with a multi-goal recreation within the Last. His three objectives in two video games this collection have matched his complete from Florida’s 17 video games within the first three rounds.
EVAN RODRIGUES GIVES THE PANTHERS THE LEAD 🚀 pic.twitter.com/WoDRxlpFMa
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 11, 2024
Rodrigues’ first purpose — a snapshot after an Evan Bouchard turnover — got here three minutes into the third interval, breaking a 1-1 tie. It stood as Rodrigues’ first game-winning purpose in 35 profession playoff video games. His second purpose snapped Edmonton’s run of 34 consecutive penalty kills over 12 video games.
“So blissful for him, happy with him,” stated Matthew Tkachuk, whose line Rodrigues joined throughout the Jap Convention closing collection in opposition to the New York Rangers. “Enjoying with him the previous couple of video games, he reads the sport so properly. That’s two video games in a row scoring some large objectives for us. He’s an excellent sensible participant and I’m actually blissful to see him get rewarded proper now.”
Tkachuk believed Rodrigues’s influence in Recreation 2 went past his objectives. He performed regular hockey, moved his toes properly and forechecked. The Panthers had greater than 70 p.c of the anticipated purpose share with him on the ice at five-on-five, based on Pure Stat Trick.
Rodrigues signed with the Buffalo Sabres out of faculty, however his breakout didn’t come till after the Pittsburgh Penguins traded for him. The Penguins handled early-season accidents in 2021-22, which led to Rodrigues getting extra alternative. He capitalized, scoring a career-high 19 objectives and 43 factors. Nonetheless, he didn’t land a long-term contract in free company, so he went to the Colorado Avalanche, then the defending champions, on a one-year, $2 million deal. He continued to show his value with the Avalanche, averaging a profession excessive in ice time (17:51 per recreation) and enjoying within the Avalanche’s prime six.
“He’s tremendous underrated and might do a number of various things in a number of conditions,” stated Vegas Golden Knights ahead Jack Eichel, who performed with Rodrigues at Boston College and in Buffalo.
“The extra alternative he’s gotten over his profession, the higher he’s achieved,” stated Avalanche coach Jared Bednar, who credited Rodrigues with with the ability to play alongside prime gamers. “I feel he’s actually comfy in his personal pores and skin, is aware of what his strengths are.”
However a protracted playoff run eluded Rodrigues earlier than this season. He was on the ice when Artemi Panarin eradicated the Penguins with a Spherical 1, Recreation 7 extra time winner in 2022. He was on the ice once more the subsequent 12 months as Colorado couldn’t discover an equalizer within the dying seconds of its Spherical 1, Recreation 7 loss to Seattle.
Rodrigues had by no means made it out of the primary spherical till becoming a member of the Panthers. He was so excited for the Stanley Cup Last to begin, he stated, that he wished Recreation 1 may have been a 1 p.m. begin.
Florida common supervisor Invoice Zito signed Rodrigues to a four-year, $3 million common annual worth contract final summer time — the longest, most profitable contract of the ahead’s profession. He’s confirmed to be well worth the dedication. After a 39-point common season — his third 12 months in a row with greater than 35 — he’s given the Panthers six objectives and 11 factors in 19 playoff video games.
“He’s a little bit of a chameleon,” stated Kyle Okposo, who additionally performed with Rodrigues in Buffalo. “Should you take a look at the groups that he’s performed on and who he’s performed with, it’s not a straightforward factor to go play with a number of the prime gamers on this planet.
“He has a novel confidence about him the place at instances when guys are enjoying with these prime guys, they simply need to give him the puck and get out of their means, and Evan is a man that he makes a number of performs and he has the arrogance to maintain it on a stick and make the correct play on the proper time. And I feel that that’s why he’s had a lot success in every single place he’s gone.”
EVAN RODRIGUES AGAIN 😱 pic.twitter.com/PC75upGTco
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 11, 2024
Monday night time was an instance of that. He began on the second line with Sam Bennett and Tkachuk, then was elevated to the highest line within the third interval with Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart till Barkov acquired harm halfway via the interval.
Coach Paul Maurice has stated this postseason that he likes to play Carter Verhaeghe subsequent to Barkov in brief spurts of video games, however they often have an expiration date. Maurice noticed one thing throughout Recreation 2 that made him elevate Rodrigues.
Rodrigues went on what Maurice referred to as “a world tour of our lineup” all through the common season. Early on, the coach had him on Barkov’s line however thought he, understandably, was too deferential to his linemates. Now he’s discovered his recreation and might slot in wherever Florida wants.
“It’s one thing I’ve taken pleasure in my complete profession, with the ability to play up and down the lineup, energy play, penalty kill,” Rodrigues stated. “It’s good to contribute to wins. On the finish of the day, it doesn’t matter who it’s. … We’re in search of wins right here, and we’re pleased with the outcomes.”
When Rodrigues was on the Avalanche in 2022-23, he watched the crew increase its 2022 Stanley Cup banner forward of the season opener. Although Rodrigues wasn’t a part of the championship-winning crew, he felt chills as tribute movies performed and the banner rose into the rafters.
Now, largely because of his early collection heroics, he’s two wins away from one other banner night time — this time one the place he’d be totally part of the celebration.
(Picture: Bruce Bennett / Getty Photos)
