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.
Overtime Winner!
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.
Taylor cheering or jinxing?
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.
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.
40 Years Old RW Perry was the Oilers Offense
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.
4th Slap Shot Sequel
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.
Mama don’t let your babies grow up to be linesmen
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.
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.
First Oilers Goal
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.
So smooth and deft at slicing through opponents
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.
2nd from the left, middle row is Marchand with Kane right above him
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.
Oilers 4 – Panthers 3 (OT) (SCF 1-0 Edmonton) Edmonton hosted a terrific Game 1 beginning with the singer performing both Nation’s Anthems while in the middle of a seating section and after only a couple of stanzas of “Oh Canada”, the singer stopped and those fans in attendance finished singing the Canadian National Anthem all the way through.
Since the NHL’s expansions have created a 32-team league it is rare indeed when two teams meet each other in the Stanley Cup Finals in consecutive years and this is the first time in 40 seasons that there has been a rematch.
First goal of the series
The Oilers have now scored first in their last nine games and with Edmonton Center Draisaitl scoring the game’s first goal just 66 seconds into the game, the Oilers with their fans were coming on loud and strong in the first period.
Too quickly the officials reviewed a coach’s challenge in the first period and botched the call as the NHL’s narrative is that an “inadvertent trip” caused the goaltender interference, so it was not penalized and the goal counted, then the unthinkable happened as Florida scored on the ensuing powerplay for the two-goal advantage.
Crack the whip defense does not stop the tying goal
Video highlights the Florida player caused the goaltender interference with reckless skating, the Edmonton defenseman was not the reason for the interference, imho as well as last night’s announcers who said as much before the official’s declared a “good goal”.
Although an “inadvertent high stick” is always a penalty, one has to wonder where the NHL draws the line (rhetorical) on what “inadvertent” penalty deserves two minutes or not.
Overtime Winner
Fortunately for the Oilers they scored the next three goals including the game winner with approximately a half a minute remaining in the first overtime session for the win and the 1-0 series lead.
Here along the Lake The first time my boys (Buffalo Sabres) went to the Stanley Cup Finals it was May 1975, and I was a 13-year-old Hockey Fanaticus who was in heaven because the Sabres were in the Finals.
I can relate to all the 13-year-old fans in the city of Edmonton and those across British Columbia to PEI, with their hope that this is the year, last season just making it to the Finals was awesome, but now it is all on the line to become part of NHL Stanley Cup history and to be forever known as “Stanley Cup Champions”.
To all the 13-year-old Panthers fans, you still get to hang on to last season’s Cup, you are Cup Champions forever forward no matter what happens during this series.
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Panthers vs Oilers 8pm (SCF Game 1) Buffalo Winter’s official prognostication: Edmonton wins the Cup in 6 games.
Buffalo Winter 