It got very close to this being one of the most disappointing Stanley Cup Final matchups in recent memory. All the buzz and excitement surrounding the Edmonton Oilers came crashing to a confusing halt as the team lost the first three games of the series and found themselves in a hole that is nearly impossible to climb out of.
But Game 4 sparked something that made this series interesting. An 8–1 victory for the Oilers put the Florida Panthers on their heels, which Edmonton capitalized on to take Game 5 as well.
It seemed improbable to even get to this point, but a few key things have gone right at the right times. And suddenly, we find ourselves watching a fantastic battle for the Stanley Cup.
In the lead up to tonight’s crucial Game 6 in Edmonton, let’s take a look at a few key things that have gone right for the Oilers lately.
Timely saves from Skinner
One of the biggest ways to swing momentum in a team’s favour is some big saves from their goalie. We saw it in game one when Sergei Bobrovsky made a handful of massive stops early on to set the tone for a shutout.
And in Games 4 and 5, we got to see the same from Stuart Skinner. Just barely holding on to a 2–1 lead in Game 4, Skinner made this spectacular stop on Carter Verhaeghe to preserve Edmonton’s lead.
And in the next game, Skinner made similar stops in the first couple minutes to set the tone and keep the game scoreless, where Edmonton took a lead shortly after.
A team needs to be able to have confidence in their goalie. Getting these types of saves will boost one’s own team while demoralizing the other. Edmonton, after getting stonewalled by Bobrovsky for example, was hesitant to shoot and got caught trying to do too much. He got in their heads.
Skinner is going to be leaned on heavily in tonight’s Game 6. On the big stage, the last home game of the season. And could quite possibly be the loudest an NHL arena has ever gotten.
Setting the tone early
Obviously, it is not ideal to be playing from behind. It has happened enough times over the years with Edmonton having very poor starts to games. But in Games 4 and 5, the Oilers have struck first. And fast.
In both of these games, the Oilers scored a shorthanded goal to open the scoring within the first five and a half minutes of the game.
So not only is this a huge goal in and of itself, Edmonton has done this shorthanded and completely killed any momentum the Panthers would have gained from an early power play.
McDavid put the team on his back
Connor McDavid has somehow stepped up his game even more than normal in these past two matches. In the last two games, he has put up eight points. Four points per night. That is the most by a single player in two Stanley Cup Final games in NHL history.
With their backs against the wall, the leader of the locker room as stepped up and somehow improved on his already otherworldly performance. It is especially notable as Leon Draisaitl struggles through the series with just two assists in five games.
Now, as McDavid chases his first Stanley Cup to cement his legacy amongst the greats, he is doing his best to drag this series out as long as possible. And so far, it is working.
This is by far the biggest game of this core group’s career. By the end of Game 5, the Panthers had started to bounce back and figure their game out, turning it into a highly competitive matchup that could have gone either way.
With the roar of the home crowd pumping them up, Edmonton needs to remember what is working for them and find a way to make it happen once again.
Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire
