Oilers Stage Incredible Comeback to Even Stanley Cup Final Series
The Edmonton Oilers have produced a stunning comeback to defeat the Florida Panthers 5-4 in overtime, evening the Stanley Cup Final series at 2-2. According to a report by CNN, the Oilers erased a three-goal deficit to win on the road in the Stanley Cup Final series, a feat that had not been achieved in 106 years.
The game was a thrilling encounter, with the Panthers dominating the early stages to take a 3-0 lead. Matthew Tkachuk and Anton Lundell scored power play goals, while the home team looked to be cruising. However, the Oilers refused to give up, and their determination paid off as they staged a remarkable comeback. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse, and Vasily Podkolzin all scored for Edmonton to knot the game at 3-3 after two periods.
In the third period, Jake Walman gave the Oilers a 4-3 lead with just over six minutes remaining. However, the Panthers were not ready to concede, and Sam Reinhart scored with just 19.5 seconds left to tie the game and send it into overtime. The extra period was a nail-biter, but Leon Draisaitl, who was the overtime hero in Game 1, scored the winner just over 11 minutes into the extra period. As CNN reports, this was Draisaitl’s fourth overtime goal of the playoffs, the most in a single postseason in NHL history.
The Oilers’ victory was witnessed by high-profile spectators, including Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, who were in attendance at Amerant Bank Arena. The win marked a significant milestone for the Oilers, as they became the first team in 106 years to come back from a three-goal deficit and win on the road in the Stanley Cup Final series. The last team to achieve this feat was the Montreal Canadiens in 1919.
In the post-game, Draisaitl praised his teammates for their resilience and no-quit attitude. "We’d like to put ourselves into better situations for ourselves so we don’t have to constantly fight back and hang in there and scratch and claw our way back," Draisaitl told the TNT Sports broadcast. "But it is a great characteristic of our team. We continue to chip away at it. And today, obviously, not a great start but then we started playing."
The series will now shift back to Western Canada, with Game 5 set to take place at the Rogers Place in Edmonton on Saturday. The Oilers will look to build on their momentum and take control of the series, while the Panthers will aim to regroup and respond.
As noted by CNN, Draisaitl’s overtime goal record was not the focus of his post-game comments, as he emphasised that there was "a lot more work ahead" for the team. "I’ll take it but (there’s a) bigger picture," Draisaitl added.
The Stanley Cup Final series has now become a thrilling contest, with both teams showing incredible determination and skill. As the series heads back to Edmonton, fans will be eagerly anticipating Game 5 and the opportunity for either team to take control of the coveted trophy.
