The 18th game 7 in Stanley Cup Final history is Monday, with history at stake in Sunrise, Florida

The Edmonton Oilers—Florida Panthers Stanley Cup Final is trending toward epic, historic, and perhaps one of the greatest finals of all time.

After losing the first three games, the Oilers are one win away from their 6th Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Leon Draisaitl made his first significant impact in the Final by setting up Warren Foegele’s early goal, Adam Henrique and Zach Hyman scored in the second period, and the Oilers forced a Game 7 by beating the Panthers 5-1 in Game 6 on Friday night.

The Oilers are the third team to tie the final after falling behind 3-0 in the series and the first since the Detroit Red Wings in 1945. On Monday night in Sunrise, Florida, the Oilers have the chance to join the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs as the only NHL teams to come all the way back from that deficit to hoist the Stanley Cup.

“Having a belief is hard to put into words. There is a strong feeling of belief within this whole group; we have had it for a long time now,” Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner said. “No matter what situation we put ourselves in, we always have that belief. Me saying that is just normal. I believe in this group; if anyone can do it, it is the Oilers.”

Skinner is one win away from joining Oiler Legends.

The Edmonton Oilers are dragging the Florida Panthers back to Alberta for game six

Panthers had just six shots on net midway through the game and finished with 21. Continuing a trend of being there when the Oilers need him the most, Skinner made timely saves to stump the Panthers, allowing just a goal to Aleksander Barkov less than 90 seconds into the third period.

“We’re just excited to keep our season going,” Oilers Forward Connor McDavid said. “That’s what it’s been about. One game at a time, one day at a time. Looking forward to the next one.”

Oilers win for the first time in McDavid’s career when he does not score a point or take a shot on goal in game six.

After falling into a 3-0 series hole, the Oilers have rallied by scoring five-plus goals in three straight games, the longest streak in a Stanley Cup Final since the Pittsburgh Penguins did it in 1991.

“There is a strong belief in our locker room,” Oilers forward Zach Hyman said. “Our fans, everyone believes in us. It is special to play here. Special to play in this game in front of this crowd to force a game 7.”

Monday will be the 18th Game 7 in Stanley Cup Final history and 1st since 2019 (St. Louis Blues beat Boston Bruins).

“The job is not done. It is a great story, but you must finish it,” Hyman added. “Everybody will forget if you don’t finish it. Everybody remembers the winners.”

Road teams have won 3 straight Game 7s; home teams are 12-5 all-time.

“Unshakable belief, no matter what happens throughout the year we always believe we can pull through,” Hyman said. “No matter how dire the circumstance, we think we have a chance.  It is a long season of facing adversity that prepares us to battle back. The next one will be the hardest. It is our first opportunity to win.”

Hyman is an award-winning author of children’s books. He will try to deliver a fairy tale ending to an improbable story.

The Oilers will be playing in their 13th Game 7 in franchise history and second in this postseason.

Panthers are on the verge of making history for all the wrong reasons. They will be playing in the 4th Game 7 in franchise history. They are 2-1. Ten days ago, this would have never seemed possible. The weight of game seven will be arduous. They must find a way back on the long plane ride and wash away the disappointment.

The first time Aleksander Barkov scored in the Cup series was 10 seconds after Henrique scored. The goal came off the board when Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch successfully challenged for offside. A lengthy review found that Sam Reinhart entered the offensive zone perhaps an inch or less before the puck.

“I know we are surprising many people, but I don’t think we are surprising anyone in the room. We felt we could do this; we put on winning streaks before,” Knoblauch said. “We felt early in the series down 3-0, and we could have won two of those. They didn’t go our way. Now, we are just playing with our back against the wall; we have been written off many times throughout the season. We have been a pretty loose group; it is nice to be around this team because they are now having the time of their lives.

Oilers are 5-0 when facing elimination this postseason (most such wins in a postseason in franchise history).

Prior to game 4, Florida had never lost at Rogers Place. It was 5-0-3 all time before the 8-1 route in game 4.

Sergei Bobrovsky, who was leading the way for the Conn Smythe Trophy, had 16 saves in game six in front of 18,347 in attendance at Rogers Place were mockingly chanting, “Ser-gei! Ser-gei!” during the national anthem and the game.

“Right now, if you walked in the room, there would not be happy people. I am not worried about what it is tonight,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said. “Doesn’t have to be right tonight. You suffered in defeat. You feel it. You lick your wounds, and then we will start building that back tomorrow. Who you are tonight means nothing to who you will be two days from now.”

In the last three games, the Panthers have allowed 18 goals and have a -13 goal differential that is tied for the worst goal differential in a three-game span in Stanley Cup Final history.

Last home win in a Game 7 in the MLB/NBA/NHL championships was by the Miami Heat in 2013. Home teams have lost six straight Game 7s, the longest streak ever and one that will span 4,022 days.

They say game 7 is the best two words in sports; the Panthers would have preferred game 4, game 5, or game 6 to win this Stanley Cup series.

Ten days ago, this would have never seemed possible. The weight of game 7 will be arduous for the Panthers. They have to find a way on the long plane ride back that will feel longer and wash away the disappointment.

Knoblaugh’s decision on the challenge was smart, considering the Panthers’ power play at this point in the series is 1 for 19. It was a big play of the game. It was not the reason the Panthers lost the game, but it was a big turning point at that point of the game, giving the Oilers a boost.

This avalanche for the Panthers started in game 4. Losing 8-1 at this time of the season is not normal. Two things happened. It really motivated the Oilers that if they can get themselves skating and get into their game, they can beat the Panthers. It was a wake-up call to them. They became a little leery, a little afraid of the Oilers’ speed, along with McDavid, leading them to get caught in between their games.

The Panthers are not playing the swashbuckling, hard-forecheck, take-no-prisons kind of game we have seen throughout these playoffs because they are not solid in their game and what they are trying to accomplish as a team. We see them making mistakes, which is one thing, but they are out of position at times, and there are big games between the defense and the forwards, which the Oilers like to play off the rush and stretch the ice out, and they have been doing the last three games. This Cup Final is a series of two different teams. You can throw it all out the window to what has transpired up to this point. It will be an epic game seven.

The 18th game 7 in Stanley Cup final history is Monday, with history at stake in Sunrise, Florida.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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