The Edmonton Oilers have done it. To the delight of neutral hockey fans everywhere, the Stanley Cup Final is heading to a decisive Game 7. This playoff run has surely sparked sympathies for one side or another. It’s worth recalling the 1942 Stanley Cup playoffs, the only time in NHL history a team rallied from a 3-0 series deficit to win the championship. That team was the Toronto Maple Leafs, who finally broke through after six previous Final appearances without a title. The Detroit Red Wings were the heavy favorites then, but the Canadian club adjusted mid-series and turned the tide—a direct parallel to this year’s Final. The Oilers were down 3-0, but they retooled their game and evened the score. Even more striking: 82 years ago, Toronto crushed Detroit 9-3 in Game 5; this time, Edmonton routed Florida 8-1 in Game 4. Before a Game 7, all predictions tend to fly out the window. Anything can happen. Naturally, Edmonton is riding a wave of emotion and momentum, having pulled off the comeback. But to make it complete, they need to win again in Sunrise.
The situation has shifted dramatically. It’s hard to read the minds of Florida Panthers players, but whatever they say in interviews now is just words. Leading 3-0 and letting it slip—no one would wish that on anyone. The scoring margin over the last three games is 18-5 in favor of the Oilers. In Game 6, Connor McDavid, their leader and undisputed MVP of this postseason, was relatively quiet—a bad sign for the Panthers. Containing him in Game 7 will be a massive challenge. Saturday’s game in Edmonton (Moscow time) started well for the visitors simply because they didn’t concede early, but that was cold comfort. The home team came out more aggressively, outshooting Florida, and it wasn’t surprising when they opened the scoring on a three-on-one rush past Sergei Bobrovsky. After the first period, the shot count told the story: 11-2 for Edmonton. Early in the second, they went up 2-0 on another two-on-one finish by Adam Henrique. The visitors responded immediately, but a video review wiped out the goal due to an offside entry.
Alexander Barkov’s apparent goal was disallowed, and late in the period, Zach Hyman broke in alone on Bobrovsky, scoring his 16th of the playoffs. At the start of the third, the Panthers captain finally got his reward, this time a legal goal. But that was all the visitors could manage. With just over three minutes left, Paul Maurice pulled the goalie for an extra skater, but the Oilers punished them with two empty-net goals. After Game 3, many said “it can’t happen,” but now the series is tied 3-3, and we’re on the verge of one of the most gripping Final games in years. On one hand, the first six games were lopsided: Florida dominated the first three, Edmonton cruised in the next three. Perhaps now we’ll see a tight battle to the final seconds, maybe overtime. Given how the script has twisted, why not? Here are the bookmaker odds for Game 7:
– Florida Panthers win: from 2.65 (Winline) to 2.75 (Betsiti, Pari)
– Edmonton Oilers win: from 2.20 (BetBoom) to 2.35 (Olimpbet)