Oilers Fall Short In Game 7, As Panthers Take First Stanley Cup Title
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By Doug Hirdle
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Summary:
- Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final brought the Florida Panthers their first title in the franchise history.
- The Floridians defeated the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 after successfully holding off the latter’s comeback attempt.
- Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe scored the winning goals while Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves
The Florida Panthers have successfully completed their redemption mission during the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.
For the first time in the history of the franchise, the Floridians were anointed champions and took home the Stanley Cup, right after they defeated the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 during Monday’s winner-take-all contest.
Passionate Panthers fans who gathered at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise were instantly sent into a frenzy at the end of Game 7.
A Chaotic Start of the Game
The game had a rather chaotic start. Florida’s Carter Verhaeghe opened the score less than five minutes into the contest.
Mattias Janmark only needed two minutes to knot the game back up for the Oilers as a response.
The Panthers’ 57-goal scorer from the regular season, Sam Reinhart, and his tally in the second period were decisive for the game.
The scorer managed to snipe a shot by Stuart Skinner‘s glove, giving his team the victorious 2-1 lead.
The Oilers kept pushing during the third period but couldn’t go past Sergei Bobrovsky and the Panthers’ defense.
Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the Oilers’ offense were kept at bay.
The Oilers, Close to Making History
The Oilers were close to making history after facing a 3-0 series deficit and managing to scoop up three consecutive wins to keep the hope for the Stanley Cup title alive.
Connor McDavid and his teammates tried to join a prestigious shortlist of just four NHL teams to make a comeback from down 3-0 in the playoffs, with one such occurrence recorded in the Stanley Cup Final.
However, they fell a game short. If they had made it, they would have been the first squad since the 1942 Maple Leafs to accomplish the feat for a championship.
The Oilers’ failed attempt didn’t stop captain Connor McDavid from becoming the sixth NHL player to earn the Conn Smythe in a losing effort after finishing with 42 points.
The number marked the fourth-most in a single postseason.
