From Monday morning, all the way until the puck dropped, the entire country of Canada joined Edmonton in speculating and dreaming of what Game 7 was going to bring.
By the time 8 o’clock rolled around, everyone knew that the 1942 Maple Leafs were the last team to come back from a 0-3 deficit to win the Cup. People were calling it the biggest game in NHL history. No matter who you cheered for, or if you didn’t cheer for anyone, you couldn’t help but get swept up in the enormity of Monday night’s Game 7.
Watch parties were happening all over the country, especially in Connor McDavid’s hometown Newmarket, Ontario.
The entire sports world was treated to an incredible Stanley Cup Final. But, for Edmonton, it ended in heartbreak.
So Close, Yet So Far For Edmonton
Right from the start of the game, it was easy to tell both teams were ready to play. The pace was fast and physical, and the energy in the building was off the charts.
Five minutes into the contest, Carter Verghaeghe, who was quiet for the majority of the Finals, put one on the board to give the Panthers their first lead since Game 3. Mattias Janmark quickly responded for Edmonton, and just like that, they were back to even.
As the night went on, the Florida team from the first half of the series came back to life and slowly suffocated Edmonton’s high-powered offense. Anytime the Oilers did break through, Bobrovsky was there to shut the door, and in some cases, in style.
Sam Reinhart delivered what would be the game-winning goal with five minutes left in the second period after Edmonton controlled much of the play.
The whole game it felt like Edmonton always had the puck, but the Panthers did such a great job of clogging up the front of the net, that the Oilers’ chances became fewer and fewer. Florida was fine with letting McDavid and company skate all over the offensive zone, but when the puck made it toward Bob, there was nothing there.
In the last ten minutes, McDavid and Hyman had glorious chances they just could not capitalize on. Evan Bouchard had many of his acclaimed ‘Bouch Bombs’ with the same result.
With the net pulled, and desperation high, the Panthers managed to keep the puck along the boards for the final 30 seconds, and the chance at history slipped right through the fingers of the Edmonton Oilers.
Tough Pill to Swallow
This time of year is when all the fans(or media) of losing teams pour on the classic cliché ‘If you would’ve told Edmonton when their coach was fired that this was the season they would have, they would have taken it.’
If you know this Oilers team or follow them at all, you know that statement is laughable.
McDavid and Draisaitl both dubbed this season as Cup or Bust back in the summer, and that never changed.
“It’s tough to put into words right now,” said a dejected Leon Draisaitl. “You’re one period, one shot away from maybe winning the thing and now you have to go through 82 regular-season games and play well enough to get another kick at it. It’s hard right now”
As this week has gone on, it has been revealed that Draisaitl may have been playing with broken ribs and a broken hand.
Edmonton’s captain, Connor McDavid, chimed in explaining the belief that he still has in this team.
“It goes back to the character of the group that we showed all year long. We showed all year long that we could fight back even in the most dire situations. It’s obviously tough to be down three and win four in a row – but we were right there.”
He’s right. They were right there.
McDavid showed true leadership at the end of the game, when he was the last one off the ice, hugging every one of his teammates on their way to the dressing room. He also became the first player since 2003 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy in a losing effort.
Truth be told, they were the better team for the majority of this series. In Game 1 they were better, but Borovsky stole the show. In Game 3 they were right there, but their defensive heads fell off their bodies for six minutes which lost them the game. Then games 4-6 speak for themselves.
They really were right there.
Game 7’s Fatal Flaw?
In the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Edmonton’s lack of depth production was a major talking point.
The big three of McDavid, Draisaitl, and Hyman were doing the majority of the heavy lifting, while the depth players were nowhere to be found, offensively at least, for large stretches.
In the Finals, however, Edmonton’s depth came through in spades, playing their best hockey, collectively, of the entire postseason.
In the final 10 minutes of Game 7, their depth players barely saw the ice. In total, McDavid, Hyman, and Draisaitl each had between 22 and 26 minutes of ice time, with the next highest being Warren Foegele with 13:50.
In big moments you want your best players on the ice. But this wasn’t the same Oilers team that played against Vancouver all those weeks ago. They were better and deeper and could have been trusted to carry more of the load.
By the end of the game, their stars were dead tired, and one can’t help but wonder if they were run into the ground too quickly.
One Last Look at the Edmonton Oilers
Moving forward, some questions have been answered, but another big question remains.
First of all, it seems like Edmonton found their goalie of the future in Stuart Skinner. Throughout the first two rounds of the playoffs, and even the first three games of the Conference Finals, there was some serious doubt in Skinner’s ability to guard the crease throughout the playoffs, let alone for years to come.
By the end of their playoff run, Edmonton found out that this kid was the real deal.
In the Stanley Cup Finals, Skinner stopped 159 of 175 shots, posting a .909 SV% and a 2.33 GAA. In comparison, Vezina Trophy finalist Sergei Bobrovsky finished the series stopping 151 of 168 shots, putting up a .899 SV% and a 2.67 GAA. By the numbers, Stuart Skinner was in lockstep with one of the greats and should be very proud of himself.
The unanswered question is that of Leon Draisaitl’s future in Edmonton. He has one year left on his current contract and is eligible for an extension on July 1.
There’s no doubt that the Oilers want to keep him. However, when posed the question, Leon made it clear that his contract was not on his mind at all. That doesn’t mean anything, necessarily. The guy just lost in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. What it does mean, though, is that speculation in Edmonton will be sky-high throughout the summer.
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About The Author
Marc Sautter is a self-proclaimed sports addict, with the NHL being his specialty. After being a sports fan from afar, Marc made a career change in his 30s to cover sports through journalism and podcasting. His daily NHL preview and betting show “Pucks Across Borders” airs every weekday morning. In addition to hockey, you can read his work on the Canadian Football League all summer on Total Apex Sports.