The Edmonton Oilers secured a decisive 5-1 victory over the Florida Panthers on Friday night, forcing a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals. This win capped off an incredible comeback from a 0-3 series deficit, making the Oilers only the third team in Stanley Cup Final history to achieve this feat.
The Oilers’ fans were electric as Edmonton took an early lead. Warren Foegele scored the first goal, assisted by Leon Draisaitl. Just 46 seconds into the second period, Adam Henrique doubled the lead with a goal, following a swift 2-on-1 play with Mattias Janmark.
The Panthers seemed to respond quickly when their captain Aleksander Barkov scored. However, the goal was overturned after a review determined Sam Reinhart was offside before the puck entered the offensive zone. This decision kept the Oilers in the lead and shifted momentum back to Edmonton.
Despite the Panthers dominating the second period in terms of puck possession, it was the Oilers who added to their score. Zach Hyman made it 3-0 with a breakaway goal just before the period ended. This marked his 16th goal of the postseason, the highest since Joe Sakic’s 18 goals in the 1996 playoffs. Hyman has also joined the elite group of players scoring 70 goals in a single season, a list that includes Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews.
Florida got their only goal early in the third period when Barkov skillfully maneuvered past the Oilers’ defense. But Edmonton’s defense and goaltending, led by Stuart Skinner with 19 saves, held firm. Late in the game, empty-net goals from Ryan McLeod and Darnell Nurse sealed the victory, making a Panthers comeback impossible.
The Oilers’ journey to this point has been remarkable. They started the season with a 2-9-1 record, languishing at the bottom of the NHL standings. Yet, through perseverance and belief, they have fought back to be on the brink of making history.
Zach Hyman highlighted this resilience in his post-game comments, “It’s crazy. There’s a strong belief in our locker room. The fans, everybody believes in us. It’s special to play here, it’s special to play in front of this crowd to force a Game 7.”
Only four teams in NHL history have come back from a 0-3 deficit to win a playoff series, with the Toronto Maple Leafs being the only team to do so in the Stanley Cup Finals back in 1942. The Oilers aim to be the second.
A win on Monday would not only mark a historic comeback but also end Canada’s 31-year Stanley Cup drought. The last Canadian team to win was the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.
The deciding Game 7 will take place on Monday at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. The game is set to be a thrilling conclusion to what has been an unforgettable series. Canadian hockey fans, and those around the world, will be watching closely as the Oilers and Panthers battle it out for the championship.
