A week ago, the Edmonton Oilers season was on the verge of coming to an end. They were trailing the Florida Panthers 3-0 in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals, but have not stopped fighting in the series.
Now, they have all the momentum on their side, while the Florida Panthers are crumbling under the pressure of closing out the series. On Friday night, the Edmonton Oilers won 5-1, forcing a decisive Game 7 back in the Sunshine State on Monday night.
Friday was an impressive performance by the Oilers, as they were able to get the blowout win despite Connor McDavid being held without a point. In his place, Leon Draisaitl finally made an impact, recording an assist on the first goal of the game from Warren Foegele.
“At the end of the day, we play to win and this is going to be the hardest game for us,” Draisaitl said. “We have to bring our game again.”
Adam Henrique, Zach Hyman, Ryan McLeod and Darnell Nurse all scored goals in the game. 12 different players recorded a point in the game, as it was a total team effort to even the series at three wins apiece.
They have gotten back into the series with an impressive offensive onslaught. They have scored 5+ goals in all three victories, which is the longest streak of 5+ goals since the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991.
“There was an unshakable belief,” Hyman said. “No matter what happened throughout the year, we always believed we could pull through. No matter how dire the circumstances, we think we have a chance. It was a long season facing adversity, which prepared us. The next one will be the hardest. It feels unbelievable to do it in front of this crowd. To have a chance to win now, this is our first opportunity to win.”
The Edmonton Oilers are only the third team in NHL history to tie a finals series after being down 3-3. The last time it happened was in 1945 when the Detroit Red Wings accomplished it.
If they are able to defeat the Florida Panthers on Monday, they will become only the second team ever to erase a 3-0 deficit in the Stanley Cup Finals. The first was in 1942 when the Toronto Maple Leafs accomplished it.
The Edmonton Oilers would also become the first Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. All the pressure is on their opponents, as no one thought Edmonton would be in this position right now.
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