The Kansas City Mavericks grabbed Game 1 of the 2026 Kelly Cup Finals with a 6-0 win over the Florida Everblades Friday night at Cable Dahmer Arena. The teams will play Game 2 on Saturday night in Missouri. Florida got off to an uncharacteristically slow start, failing to score the opening goal for the first time this postseason. Jakov Novak got Kansas City on the board first, batting in his sixth goal of the playoffs at 9:34 of the first period. In a period that saw the home team outshoot the Blades 10-2, the Mavericks doubled their lead to 2-0 on Hudson Wilson’s first playoff tally at the 17:23 mark. The two-goal deficit marked the first time the Everblades trailed by multiple goals in the 2026 playoffs.Kansas City piled on four goals to open up a 6-0 lead. Jack Randl scored his fourth postseason goal just over two minutes into the middle frame while Luke Loheit chipped in his fifth at the 12:10 mark. A power-play goal by Landon McCallum and an even-strength tally by Jimmy Glynn just 24 seconds apart, their respective third goals of the playoffs, gave the Mavericks a six-goal lead at 16:36. Both teams put eight shots on goal in the middle 20 minutes. The teams battled to a scoreless third period, which was highlighted by a dust-up at the 17:33 mark that resulted in a combined 48 penalty minutes, including a pair of 10-minute misconducts whistled on each team.
Kansas City’s opening goal snapped the Everblades’ string of scoring first in every game this postseason. Florida scored first in each of its first 14 playoff contests.
Florida Everblades vs. Kansas City Mavericks
Game 1: Kansas City 6, Florida 0
Game 2: Saturday, June 6 at Kansas City, 7:05 p.m.
Game 3: Wednesday, June 10 at Florida, 7:30 p.m.
Game 4: Friday, June 12 at Florida, 7:30 p.m.
Game 5*: Friday, June 13 at Florida, 7 p.m.
Game 6:* Monday, June 15 at Kansas City, 8:05 p.m.
Game 7:* Wednesday, June 17 at Kansas City, 8:05 p.m.
- — If Necessary
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida Everblades shut out by Kansas City in Kelly Cup Finals Game 1
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