Month: June 2025

Kris Knoblauch

Here along the Lake Does having the best head coach assure a team of a Stanley Cup, of course not, there are way too many mitigating factors involved during an NHL game to credit the outcome to just the coach.

Edmonton HC Knoblauch As a teenager Kris Knoblauch played his major junior hockey in the WHL on four different teams and when he turned 20 years of age began playing collegiate hockey for five seasons for the University of Alberta in the CWUAA.

Kris played one season of minor professional hockey in the now defunct CHL before becoming an assistant coach in the WHL, and in his third season was promoted to head coach where he took the team he once played for and won the WHL Ed Chynoweth Cup championship.

After winning the WHL championship Kris was made head coach of the OHL Erie Otters that had a 15 years old Connor McDavid and 18 years old Connor Brown in the line-up and the Otters lost twice as many games as they won, they were horrible.

But after three seasons Kris and the Otters with teenagers Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strom won the OHL J. Ross Robertson Cup championship and after this success Kris was picked up as an assistant coach for the NHL Philadelphia Flyers for two seasons, then put in their farm system as head coach of the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack making the playoffs once.

Additionally, Kris was brought up from Hartford to be the Head Coach of the New York Rangers for two games during 2021 because of irrational covid protocols implemented by political activist Bettman.

During the NHL 2023-24 season the Edmonton Oilers made Kris their mid-season replacement head coach who promptly guided the team to the Stanley Cup finals eventually losing to the Panthers where they would meet again in the Cup finals this season and now face game six elimination in Florida this Tuesday night.

Oilers Offense Obsolete

Panthers 5 – Oilers 2 (en) (SCF 3-2 Florida) The Edmonton Oilers seem like a rudderless ship when it comes to their vaunted power play, who is ultimately responsible for the power play, the players, the head coach, or just the team in general?

Edmonton now finds itself in a “do or die” situation as they prepare to return to Florida to capture another road victory to bring game seven back to Alberta, or the Panthers on the cusp of winning consecutive Cups will bring another stunning defensive effort and remain champions.

GAME SIX Tuesday Night 8pm

Oilers Home Ice Advantage

Oilers 5 – Panthers 4 (OT) (SCF tied 2-2) Florida took 17 SOG in the first period and scored three times, Edmonton took 17 SOG in the second period and scored three times, then the teams traded goals in the last six and half minutes of the third period to setup overtime.

After allowing three goals on 17 SOG in the first period Shakey Skinner was promptly pulled and the Oilers benefited from goaltender Pickard’s steady and solid performance throughout the rest of the game including overtime keeping the Panthers off the scoreboard.

Home ice advantage in a three-game series is crucially important, and Edmonton finds itself in a fortuitous situation that will be greatly enhanced by the Oilers staying out of the penalty box while continuing to score on the power play.

ALL-IMPORTANT GAME FIVE

Edmonton, Alberta 8pm

Oilers Overwhelmed

Panthers 6 – Oilers 1 (SCF 2-1 Florida) No team has ever won a seven-game series in game three, but Edmonton had better figure out their special teams and hopefully goaltender Pickard can solidify the netminding, or all is lost.

Florida goaltender Bobrovsky has played good to great in net, the Panthers take advantage of powerplays, and they do not back down from the rough style of play.

Edmonton goaltender Skinner has played to his skill level, the Oilers have two of the best offensive players in the league, they have skilled veterans, are better at faceoffs, and can out-shoot any team.

Game Four will determine if the Finals will be reduced to a three-game series or Edmonton has to go back to Alberta to play their best game to date to avoid elimination.

GAME FOUR Thursday Night 8pm

Florida Earns Series Split

Panthers 5 – Oilers 4 (2OT) (SCF tied 1-1) The Panthers are reaping rewards from their acquisition of center Brad Marchand who scored shorthanded and the game winning goal in overtime to assist Florida in earning the road victory and series split.

A disappointing effort from the Oilers who scored only once with six man-advantages and could not keep pace with the Panthers who laid 60 hits on the Oilers who countered that with about half as many with 39 hits of their own.

It is a seven-game series and Edmonton will skate into the Sunshine State win one or two games to come back home either up or tied in the series, as the Oilers will respond with stronger special team efforts… or all might be lost.

On a very cool note, Perry Kane and Kevin Marchand who were teammates in the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League during 1981 were both able to witness their son’s Evander and Brad score during the same Stanley Cup Finals game last night.

GAME THREE Monday Night 8pm