Panthers-Oilers Game 7: Everything You Need To Know

It all comes down to Game Seven to decide the Stanley Cup champion. The Florida Panthers had a 3-0 lead and the Edmonton Oilers have tied it all up with three wins in a row. So, with everything on the line, a thrilling game looks to be in store and one that will put a bow on a remarkable series. 

Everything You Need To Know

●      The big theme of this series is that there were two chapters. The Panthers dominated the first three games, outsourcing the Oilers 11-4. The script flipped in the last three games with the Oilers outscoring the Panthers 18-5.

●      The best skater on either team in this series has been Connor McDavid. The Oilers superstar has three goals and eight assists which all but assures he will win the Conn Smythe Trophy.

●      The best skater on the Panthers meanwhile has been Aleksander Barkov. There’s an argument for Evan Rodrigues, who has four goals and two assists but Barkov, along with having two goals and three assists has stepped up defensively as well.

●      Goaltending has been a big factor in this series flipping. Sergei Bobrovsky was incredible in the first three games, stopping 82 of the 86 shots he faced but the Oilers started picking their targets and exposing him. Stuart Skinner struggled in the first three games but once he found his footing, he couldn’t be beaten, saving 81 of the 86 shots faced.

●      The last reverse sweep was in 2014. The last reverse sweep in the Stanley Cup Final was in 1942. The Oilers will make history if they complete the series comeback and take Game Seven.

●      The last time the home team won Game Seven was in 2006 when the Carolina Hurricanes beat… The Oilers! So, the Panthers have an uphill battle but it’s been done before.

Who Wins & Why

It’s hard to pick against the Oilers who have all the momentum and have looked like the better team in the recent games. They will speed up Game Seven and continuously pressure Bobrovsky. 

On top of that, McDavid, who has already had the series of his life will play at another level for this winner-take-all game and expect him to create a few goals to allow the Oilers to run away with a victory. To cap off the night, Skinner and the defense will seal the victory by daring the Panthers to take difficult shots on the net and force the clock to wind down to zero, allowing the Cup to return to Canada for the first time since 1993. 

Prediction: Oilers 3-1