Panthers Win First-Ever Stanley Cup Fighting Off a Historic Oilers Comeback
Photo Credit: The Athletic
As the Oilers won Game 6 after a 5-1 victory to force a Game 7, the Panthers had the weight of the world on them. No team since 1942 has blown a 3-0 series lead since the Detroit Red Wings lost four in a row to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
After game 6, the message was simple for the Panthers. It’s Game 7, win or take all; what more could you ask for? The past is the past; they needed one game to win the greatest trophy in all of sports, and the Cats delivered.
Heading into Game 7, the storyline was Sergei Bobrovsky not being able to be the guy who was in the first three games of the series. For the Panthers to win, they needed the 35-year-old to bring his best game to hold off the red-hot Oilers offense.
The depth of the Oilers was challenged to not be passengers during the playoffs but to be difference-makers, and time and time again, the bottom six of the Oilers were making play after play to help bring this series to seven games. To win this game, the depth needed one more productive game, and they also needed big production from their superstars, in particular Leon Draisaitl, who was searching for his first Stanley Cup Final goal heading into game 7.
Game 7 started with an early power play chance for the Panthers. Oilers forward Warren Foegele took a high-sticking penalty against Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour. Heading into this game, the Panthers struggled to create much of anything on the powerplay, as they were 1 for 19 in 6 games. As the powerplay winded down, Mr. Clutch himself, Carter Verhaeghe, was in front of the net as Evan Rodrigues wristed one wide, but Verhaeghe was able to get a stick on the puck to squeeze one past Stuart Skinner. Verhaeghe is cold-blooded in the playoffs, having 10 game-winning goals in postseason play and an opening goal in game 7. The Panthers needed to open up with the lead to ease some of the pressure they had been facing.
However, the early lead would not last long as the Oilers's depth made their presence early. Just about 2 minutes after the Panthers struck first, Oilers defenseman Cody Ceci made a beautiful pass up the middle of the ice to find Mattias Janmark all alone to beat Bobrovsky on the blocker side to tie up the game 1-1 just 7 minutes in.
The first period would end tied 1–1 after a pair of early goals from each team. Although it was clear this was going to be a tight, low-scoring affair as there was hardly any room and the ice, the defensive play was terrific from both teams, and both goalies were on their game.
As the second period rolled around, the Oilers would get a huge opportunity to take the lead early into the period with the man advantage, as Matthew Tkachuk tripped Warren Foegele on a controversial call. The Oilers would fail to score on their only powerplay of the night, which would prove costly in the end. The game continued to be tight until the 5-minute mark of the second period. Warren Foegele made an outstanding play to create a great scoring chance in front of the net, but the Panthers were able to keep the puck out and work their way quickly into the offensive zone, where the 57th goal scorer in the regular season, Sam Reinhart, wristed one through Skinner. The Oilers defenseman laid off Reinhart, giving the pure sniper just a little room, and that was all he needed to make a huge play towards the end of the second.
The Oilers gave everything they had with marvelous opportunities. Most notably, with 7 minutes remaining, McDavid was all alone in front of the net, then the puck dribbled to Zach Hyman for a glorious chance in front of a yawning cage. In a desperate act to keep the puck out of their net, Brandon Montour and Gustav Forsling both made game-saving plays to avoid the Oilers tying up the game.
Despite the effort from the Oilers within the final minutes of the game, you could tell the Oilers stars were taxed and had nothing left in the tank. The big three—McDavid, Draisaitl, and Bouchard—all played over 24 minutes. The Panthers were able to fend off the Oilers's relentless push for 20 minutes and win their first Stanley Cup on home ice in a Game 7 that was an instant classic.
As the Conn Smythe trophy was awarded before the Stanley Cup, it was awarded to Oilers Captain Connor McDavid. It was the first time since 2003 when J-S Giguere won it despite being on the losing side. There was no question that McDavid earned playoff MVP, as he got 16 of the 17 first-place votes for the award.
Pure jubilation for the Panthers and a little sigh of relief to get the job done. This was huge for head coach Paul Maurice. After 28 years of being an NHL coach, 1,985 total games, and 1,848 regular season games, he was finally a Stanley Cup champion.
The Florida Panthers are your 2024 Stanley Cup Champions. This group displayed resiliency and battle-tested from the beginning of the season to the end. There is no denying this group earned the hardest trophy to win in sports.