Stanley Cup Finals Showdown: Can the Oilers Complete the Historic Comeback in Game Seven?
The Edmonton Oilers' season appeared to be coming to an abrupt end when the Florida Panthers defeated them in Game Three of the Stanley Cup Finals a little more than a week ago. With a 3-0 series lead, the Panthers were one victory away from lifting the Stanley Cup. However, the series has completely shifted since then. After winning Game Six, the Oilers have established a potentially historic matchup going into a winner-take-all Game Seven in Sunrise, Florida. They have clawed their way back into the series and are now just 60 minutes away from pulling off a historic comeback that would live in history. This Monday night's game will be the 18th time in the history of the Stanley Cup Finals to go to a decisive Game Seven. The last one occurred in 2019 between the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues. It will also be the third time in NHL history that a team has overcome a 3-0 series deficit in the Stanley Cup Finals to force a Game Seven. With just over 24 hours remaining until the puck drops, the question at hand is whether the Oilers can pull off the historic comeback or whether the Panthers can save themselves from a devastating collapse in the Stanley Cup Finals this year.
Prior to the start of the Oilers and Panthers series, one key factor that would decide the outcome of each game would be which side could figure out how to beat the other team's goalkeeper. The Panthers had the upper hand in this area in Games One through Three, outscoring the Oilers 11–4, and getting outstanding goaltending from seasoned veteran Sergei Bobrovsky, who stopped 82 shots in the opening three games. The script has entirely shifted in Edmonton's favor in Games Four through Six, though, as the Oilers have outscored the Panthers 18-5 and goalie Stuart Skinner has established himself as a brick wall in the Oilers' crease. Whichever goalkeeper is able to settle into a rhythm early in the high-pressured game and produce crucial saves will undoubtedly give their team an edge going into Game Seven.
The offensive production and special teams play on both sides have been a big contributing reason to the series turning in favor of the Oilers. With the best power play percentage at 37.3% going into the Stanley Cup Finals, the Oilers' power play unit was nonexistent in the first three games of the series, going 0-for-11 without a goal, and their top offensive players, captain Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman, were held in check without a goal. The roles have now been flipped over the last three games as the Panthers' main goal scorers have struggled and shown uneven play on special teams. The Oilers have scored five special team goals in Games Four through Six, with two occurring while shorthanded on the penalty kill and three occurring on power plays. Meanwhile, the Panthers have gone 0-for-10 on the man advantage during that period. Plus, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, and Matthew Tkachuk, three of the Panthers' best scorers, have each only scored one goal in the series. Therefore, the Panthers will need to rely on the players who helped them get to the Finals to help them cross the finish line if they are to have any chance of averting a historic collapse.
So, the question that has to be answered is, who will win Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals? Looking at NHL history, home teams have a record of 12-5 in Stanley Cup Finals Game Sevens and 115-82 all-time in all NHL postseason Game Sevens. However, in the last three Stanley Cup Finals Game Sevens, the away club has prevailed, most recently, the Blues in 2019. Despite the Panthers having home-ice advantage and the last-line change in the third period, the Oilers seem to have the upper hand heading into Game Seven, having grabbed the momentum in the series and the Panthers looking to be a shadow of their former self throughout these last three games, appearing totally lost. Regardless, it will be a thrilling conclusion to the 2024 NHL season.
