The New Jersey Devils have dominated the first period of Game 1 against the Florida Panthers, and hold a 3-0 lead after one period.

The Devils outshot the Panthers by a 26-9 margin in the opening 20 minutes and have taken advantage of their early power play opportunies.

Patrik Elias opened the scoring at the 6:31 mark of the period, coming off an assist from Dainius Zubrus. The Devils got further separation when Zubrus found the net for a power play goal goal at 14:11. Ryan Carter was able to make it 3-0 with a goal at 14:56.

The Panthers will need to play more disciplined on defense and stay out of the box while cutting down on turnovers if they want to get back in the game.

For more news, analysis, and discussion on the Panthers' playoff push, visit Litter Box Cats. For the opponent's perspective throughout the series, head over to In Lou We Trust. For all your hockey news and notes and more on each playoff series, keep up with SB Nation's dedicated NHL hub.