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There’s not much else to be said other than ‘Game 7.’
The 2023-24 hockey season comes down to one final game, the Edmonton Oilers visiting the Florida Panthers in Sunrise Monday evening.
With the script flipped on its ear over the past week, Edmonton has roared back with three consecutive wins to force this winner-take-all match, In this annals of the NHL, only the 1942 Detroit Red Wings were able to climb out of a 3-0 hole to win the Stanley Cup.
Edmonton is out to become the first Canadian Cup winner since the Montreal Canadiens of 1992-93. Florida, meanwhile, is trying not to gag a first-ever title in the history of the franchise
It’s a pick ‘em contest, with both the Oilers and Cats priced at 10-11 (-110), according to NHL odds. Over/under is set at 5½ goals.
There are also some intriguing ‘alternative’ wagers, as per Stanley Cup props.
McDavid the McGoliath
It’s no secret the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid has put together one of the best individual postseason performances (eight goals, playoff-record 34 assists) in league history, He was, however, unusually quiet in a 5-1 Edmonton win in Game 6 after consecutive points efforts in Games 4 and 5.
Zach Hyman’s 16 goals far and away lead everyone this postseason, but two other storylines of note have been the Oilers’ penalty-killing (18-of-19 in series, 46 of last 47 overall) and the play of goaltender Stuart Skinner, While unheralded going against Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky, Skinner stopped 81-of-86 shots in the past three games (all Edmonton victories).
Panthers Need Hug
So after the Florida Panthers won the first three games in this Stanley Cup Final, very few observers in their right minds figured this was going the distance, However, with the trophy having been transported four times over nearly 12,000 miles.
Florida has been outscored, 18-5, in losing the last three games (albeit with some empty-net goals padding the total), hardly resembling the team which won the first three games by a combined score of 11-4. Marksman Carter Verhaeghe (-9 in Final) has been held to a single goal through a half-dozen games, as has Matthew Tkachuk and 57-goal scorer Sam Reinhart.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has not been sharp over the last few games.
Oilers Finish Job
Edmonon’s Connor McDavid is the best player in the sport, thus the best player on the ice. He has made his teammates more lethal than the offense of the Florida Panthers, who haven’t received much out of the big guns in their arsenal.
Florida will get a huge boost playing this game, but that only goes so far. Edmonton is one win away from pulling off perhaps the greatest comeback in history. Take the Edmonton Oilers -110. It’s their (sixth) Cup and McDavid’s Conn Smythe.
Today’s History Lesson
Here’s a list of the previous winners of the Stanley Cup (since 2000)...
2023: Vegas Golden Knights, Coach Bruce Cassidy
2022: Colorado Avalanche, Coach Jared Bednar
2021: Tampa Bay Lightning, Coach Jon Cooper
2020: Tampa Bay Lightning, Coach Jon Cooper
2019: St. Louis Blues, Coach Craig Berube
2018: Washington Capitals, Coach Barry Trotz
2017: Pittsburgh Penguins, Coach Mike Sullivan
2016: Pittsburgh Penguins, Coach Mike Sullivan
2015: Chicago Blackhawks, Coach Joel Quenneville
2014: Los Angeles Kings, Coach Darryl Sutter
2013: Chicago Blackhawks, Coach Joel Quenneville
2012: Los Angeles Kings, Coach Darryl Sutter
2011: Boston Bruins, Coach Claude Julien
2010: Chicago Blackhawks, Coach Joel Quenneville
2009: Pittsburgh Penguins, Coach Dan Bylsma
2008: Detroit Red Wings, Coach Mike Babcock
2007: Anaheim Ducks, Coach Randy Carlyle
2006: Carolina Hurricanes, Coach Peter Laviolette
2005: –not presented (season cancelled)--
2004: Tampa Bay Lightning, Coach John Tortorella
2003: New Jersey Devils, Coach Pat Burns
2002: Detroit Red Wings, Coach Scotty Bowman
2001: Colorado Avalanche, Coach Bob Hartley
2000: New Jersey Devils, Coach Larry Robinson
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