The Kansas City Mavericks moved ahead 2-0 in the 2026 Kelly Cup Finals after a 5-2 victory over the Florida Everblades, a win witnessed by a packed Cable Dahmer Arena crowd of 5,768.
Early Surge
Bobo Carpenter opened the scoring just 17 seconds in, his 10th playoff goal, setting a rapid tempo for the Mavericks.
Jake McLaughlin added a marker 1:30 into the second period, and the Mavericks soon built a 5-1 lead with three consecutive power-play goals from Marcus Crawford, David Cotton and Jackson Jutting.
Florida's Response
Florida answered with a power-play tally from Carson Gicewicz at 15:33 of the second period and a late goal by Jesse Lansdell early in the final frame, but the deficit proved insurmountable.
The series now shifts to Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida, where Game 3 is slated for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET, giving the Everblades a chance to rally.
With the momentum on their side, Kansas City aims to extend its lead as the Everblades seek a comeback in the best-of-seven showdown.