Oilers Beat Panthers Again, Stanley Cup Final Goes to Game 7

Welp, here we go: There will be a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final after the Edmonton Oilers won their third straight over the Florida Panthers, this one 5-1 on Friday night.

The Panthers had a stranglehold on this series after winning Game 3 in Edmonton last Thursday to take a 3-0 series lead — but they have not held a lead for a single minute since, and have been outscored 18-5 in the process.

Edmonton has taken it to the Panthers over the past three games.

The Oilers will try and become just the second NHL, NBA or MLB team ever to complete the reverse sweep from a 3-0 deficit in the championship round.

The other: The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs.

Edmonton is the first team to force a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final after trailing 3-0 since the 1945 Detroit Red Wings.

Game 7 is Monday at 8 in Sunrise.

It’s winner-take-all now — and it will be the first Game 7 of this postseason for Florida.

“The last few games. it has been like we have been playing on borrowed time,’’ said Adam Henrique, who scored twice including into an empty net near the end.

“A lot of people wrote us off down 3-0. We’ve just been enjoying the last few days of the season, have a few more left and we’re trying to enjoy it, just embrace the spot we’re in.”

Friday, the Panthers looked discombobulated from the start, going down 1-0 in a first period in which they were held to two shots — both by Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

Florida did not get its first shot off from a forward until Carter Verhaeghe challenged Stuart Skinner on a power play midway through the second.

The Panthers were down 2-0 early in the second on a 2-on-1 which Henrique cashed in on.

Sasha Barkov scored 10 seconds later after following up his own rebound, but Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch challenged for offside.

After a lengthy review, it was ruled that Sam Reinhart’s skate was just off the blue line as Verhaeghe brought the puck into the zone.

Coach Paul Maurice was furious with the controversial decision.

The score remained 2-0 until late in the third when Zach Hyman broke loose off a Gus Forsling blocked shot in the Florida zone and charged in on Sergei Bobrovsky and beat him under the glove.

Hyman’s goal came with 1:40 left in the second leaving the Panthers in a 3-0 hold coming into the third.

Barkov made it 3-1 early in the third, rolling through the zone with the puck and getting Skinner to commit before putting the puck into the empty net.

Edmonton was able to end things with a pair of empty-net goals.

GOALS OF GAME 6

• Oilers 1, Panthers 0 (7:27, 1st): A Florida turnover at the blueline leads to Warren Foegele and Aaron Ekblad tripping each other — only Foegele got up just in time to take a pass from Leon Draisaitl and beat Sergei Bobrovsky.
• Oilers 2, Panthers 0 (0:46, 2nd): The Panthers get caught in a slow line change with Adam Henrique ripping off a shot from the right circle.
• Oilers 3, Panthers 0 (18:20, 2nd): Gus Forsling’s shot gets blocked and the puck shoots up the ice; Zach Hyman picks it up and is off to the races.
• Oilers 3, Panthers 1 (1:28, 3rd): Sasha Barkov gets the puck near the wall and bulls his way to the net and slams the puck home.
• Oilers 4, Panthers 1 (16:45, 3rd EN): Ryan McLeod ices this one with an empty-netter from the wall.
• Oilers 5, Panthers 1 (16:57, 3rd EN): Henrique gets his second of the night.

GR’S 3 STARS OF GAME 6

1. Adam Henrique, Edmonton

2. Stuart Skinner, Edmonton

3. Sasha Barkov, Florida

2024 STANLEY CUP FINAL

EDMONTON OILERS VS. FLORIDA PANTHERS 

GAME 7

Best of 7 Series Tied 3-3

• When: Monday, 8 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• National TV: ABC
• Streaming: ESPN+/Hulu
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL app
• Series Schedule — Game 1: @Florida 3, Edmonton 0;Game 2: @Florida 4, Edmonton 1; Game 3: Florida 4, @Edmonton 3; Game 4: @Edmonton 8, Florida 1; Game 5: Edmonton 5, @Florida 3; Game 6: Florida @ Edmonton, Friday; Game 7: Edmonton at Florida, Monday
• How They Got Here — Florida: d. Tampa Bay 4-1, Boston 4-2, New York Rangers 4-2; Edmonton: d. Los Angeles 4-1, Vancouver 4-3, Dallas 4-2.
• This Season (Florida Won 2-0) — At Florida: Panthers 5, Oilers 3 (Nov. 20). At Edmonton: Panthers 5, Oilers 2 (Dec. 17).
• Last Season: Edmonton Won 2-0
  
• All-time Regular Season Series: Oilers lead 23-16-0, 3 ties
• Postseason History: First Meeting