Stanley Cup: Oilers avoid sweep thanks to offensive explosion

The Stanley Cup could be won Saturday night. The Florida Panthers, up 3-0 in the final, were trying to complete the sweep in Edmonton. But, with their backs against the wall, the Oilers dominated their rivals 8-1 and Connor McDavid took the opportunity to break Wayne Gretzky’s record.

The big guns of Oilers woke up, the support players contributed and the goalkeeper Stuart Skinner was excellent, it was the recipe that the Oilers to avoid elimination.

Connor McDavid scored his first goal of the final, he also collected three assists. With 32 assists since the start of the series, he broke a record that belonged to Wayne Gretzky who collected 31 in 1988.

Leon Draisaitl (2A), Zach Hyman (2A) and Ryan Nugen-Hopkins (1B) collected their first points of the final in victory.

Dylan Holloway with two, Mattias Janmark, Adam Henrique, Darnell Nurse And Ryan McLeod also scored for the winners.

Vladimir Tarasenko was the only one to foil Stuart Skinner who was excellent in front of the net Oilers with 32 stops.

The solution to the riddle Bobrovsky

Since the start of the series, particularly during games number one and three, the Oilers had encountered a Sergei Bobrovsky in full possession of his means.

On Saturday, the goalkeeper Panthers allowed 5 goals on 16 shots before giving way to Anthony Stolarz, almost halfway through the second period. He blocked 17 of the 20 shots aimed at him.

We solved the Bobrovsky riddle tonightsaid the attacker Connor Brownemphasizing the words this evening, which suggests that the Oilers know very well that the Russian goalkeeper has not suddenly become bad.

THE Oilers hope, however, to have shaken the confidence of the goalkeeper as well as all the players of Panthers.

Edmonton could have slowed down the pace with a 5-1 lead after two periods, but the players chose to continue attacking.

It was important for our morale, all the players had the chance to participate in the victory. We had to continue playing our match and do it for 60 minutesasserted Dylan Holloway.

For Connor McDavidthe fact of having scored eight goals changes nothing. It’s only a victory, whether we scored eight or one goals, the important thing is to have wonhe said. Now we have to go to Florida and continue the workadded the captain.

Matthew Tkachuk of the Panthers also mentioned that a defeat is a defeat, no matter how many goals the opponent scores.

Technically it doesn’t make a difference, but we still allowed eight goals and our goalies are not responsible for any of those goalssaid Tkachuk. So we have things to learn about this matchhe added.

The head coach Kris Knoblauch believes that his team’s performance will help with confidence in future matches.

I think tonight we played pretty much like we did in the first and third games of the series.he said. Tonight we were luckier, but this will allow us to play with more confidence in the next matches.

Stuart Skinner good, at the right time

The players of Oilers all paid tribute to the goalkeeper Stuart Skinner in their post-match comments.

We talk a lot about Sergei Bobrovsky since the start of the series, we too have had an excellent goalkeepersaid Connor Brownsaying of Skinner that he was a young goalkeeper with an old soul.

Kris Knoblauch insisted on the moment when Stuart Skinner made his best saves. While it was 2-1 Carter Verhaeghe And Sam Bennett presented themselves two against one, Verhaeghe launched and Skinner dived to stop the puck.

Without this stop, the score would have been tied, we instead took a 3-1 lead a few minutes latermentioned the coach. He also made several good saves in the second period and once again, if the Panthers score, they come back into the game.

Great Connor McDavid

Connor McDavid had quite a game with four points. This performance from the captain ranks very high on the list of Kris Knoblauch who was also the coach of McDavid in the junior ranks.

Tonight’s performance is at the top of the list considering the importance of the match. He continues to impress everyone and we are very happy that he was able to break a record owned by Wayne Gretzky.

True to form, Connor McDavid didn’t want to talk too much about his accomplishments.

Wayne Gretzky means in the hockey world, it’s special to break one of his records, but it’s really not the most important goal”,”text”:”I know what that means in the hockey world , it’s special to break one of his records, but it’s really not the most important goal”}}”>I know what Wayne Gretzky means in the world of hockey, it’s special to break one of your records, but it’s really not the most important goalsaid Connor McDavid after the meeting.

THE Oilers are clinging to a slim hope of winning a first Stanley Cup since 1990. Four teams have managed to win a series 4 of 7 in the history of the National Hockey League after losing their first three games. Once, in 1942, with the Maple Leafs of Toronto who managed to prevail over the Red Wings of Detroit, such a turnaround occurred in the final.

Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final will take place Tuesday evening in Florida. THE Pantherswho are trying to win the first Stanley Cup in their history after two defeats in the final (2023, 1996), will have a second opportunity to get their hands on the precious trophy.