Game one of the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals took place on Saturday from Paradise, Nevada with the Vegas Golden Knights defeating the Florida Panthers 5-2. In an interesting statistic, there were seven Canadians who scored in the game, and Canadians contributed to all the goals that were scored.
The five Golden Knights goal scorers were Jonathan Marchessault of Cap-Rouge, Quebec, Shea Theodore of Langley, British Columbia, Zach Whitecloud of Brandon, Manitoba, Mark Stone of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Reilly Smith of Mimico, Ontario. The Panthers goal scorers were Canadian Olympic gold medalist Eric Staal of Thunder Bay, Ontario, and Anthony Duclair of Pointe-Claire, Quebec. Staal won the gold medal for Canada at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
Theodore was one of two Golden Knights with a multi-point game. The other was Jack Eichel. Theodore had one goal and one assist, while Eichel had two assists. Theodore actually scored his first goal of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He had previously scored 14 goals in 86 postseason games prior to this season.
Whitecloud meanwhile scored his first game-winning goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He had previously scored four postseason goals. Theodore and Whitecloud are both defensemen, and Whitecloud is the only Golden Knights blueliner with more than one goal in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs as he has two goals.
