There will be a Game 5.
On Saturday, the Edmonton Oilers had their best showing of the Stanley Cup Final, annihilating the Florida Panthers 8-1 in Game 4.
On a night when everything went the Oilers’ way, seven players lit the lamp while 15 recorded at least a point against the Panthers. Unsurprisingly, captain Connor McDavid led the way with four points (one goal, three assists).
McDavid registered his 31st postseason assist in the win, tying Wayne Gretzky for the most in a single playoff. Meanwhile, he’s only the third player in NHL history to record 38 points or more in the playoffs, joining Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky.
Edmonton’s seven-goal win tied the 1918 Vancouver Millionaires for the largest margin of victory in a Stanley Cup Final elimination game.
The Oilers controlled the action from puck drop, displaying an expected level of desperation. An aggressive approach early gave them a 2-0 lead only 7:48 into Game 4 and a 3-1 advantage after one period capped off by Dylan Holloway’s answer to the Panthers’ lone goal of the game scored Vladimir Tarasenko’s goal.
Edmonton rode the momentum into the second period, outscoring Florida 3-0 while chasing Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky from the game. After essentially putting the things away with a period to go, the Oilers scored twice in the third, just for good measure.
The offensive outburst starkly contrasts with how the series has played out thus far. Not only did the Oilers double their goal total from the previous three games (4) in just 60 minutes of hockey, but Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also tallied the first power-play goal of the series after the Oilers had gone 0-for-10 entering the game.
Lost in the offensive onslaught was the play of Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner. After allowing two goals or more in three straight against the Panthers, Skinner turned away 32-of-33 shots, including 11 saves on the penalty kill.
Whether Edmonton can channel the same energy the rest of the way remains to be seen. However, they showed in Game 4 that they could beat the Panthers and thoroughly dominate them.
The Oilers still face a 3-1 deficit and the series is heading back to Sunrise for Game 5. But with their backs against the wall, the offense broke through, which is a promising sign.
The Panthers will host the Oilers for Game 5 on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.