Series Overview
The Florida Panthers are on the brink of making history as they prepare for Game 5 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Leading the series 3-1 against the Edmonton Oilers, the Panthers are poised to win their first championship. However, the Oilers, who thrashed the Panthers 8-1 in Game 4, are determined to force a Game 6 and keep their championship hopes alive. The last team to push a series to six games after losing the first three was the 2012 New Jersey Devils. Opening faceoff at Amerant Bank Arena is set for 8 p.m. ET.
Florida's Home-Ice Edge
Florida is a -134 favorite according to the latest odds, buoyed by their remarkable 8-3 home record this postseason. The Panthers have won four consecutive home games, allowing just four goals in those contests. Their defense has stifled Edmonton, permitting only two goals in the last three games. Despite a poor showing in Game 4 where goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky allowed five goals, he has rebounded well after such performances, conceding a total of just three goals in the subsequent games.
Panthers' Key Players
Offensively, the Panthers are bolstered by the performances of Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart, who have scored 10 and 9 goals this postseason respectively. Both have found the net once in the Stanley Cup Final. Additionally, Evan Rodrigues and Vladimir Tarasenko have combined for five goals in the series. Rodrigues netted three goals in the first two games of the Final, while Tarasenko has scored in the last two contests, bringing his tally to three goals in the last five games. Notably, Tarasenko had only two goals in his first 16 postseason games. Both Tarasenko and Anton Lundell are currently on three-game point streaks, with Lundell contributing four assists during this run.
Edmonton's Offensive Surge
The Oilers have demonstrated offensive depth, scoring at least two goals in each of the last four games. In Game 4, 15 of Edmonton's 18 skaters recorded points, with Connor McDavid leading the charge with a goal and three assists. McDavid, who is nearing the 40-point mark in a single postseason, currently leads the NHL with 38 points and has amassed six points in the last two games. Remarkably, McDavid has broken Wayne Gretzky's single-playoff assist record set in 1988, notching 32 assists so far. Defenseman Darnell Nurse also scored in Game 4, contributing to Edmonton’s league-leading 17 goals from defensemen this postseason.
Edmonton's defensive prowess is equally impressive, boasting the league’s best penalty kill rate at 93.6%. They have successfully defended 12 of the 13 penalties in the series. Forward Mattias Janmark has been a standout on the penalty kill, scoring two short-handed goals this postseason.
Looking Ahead to Game 5
As the series shifts back to Florida, the Panthers aim to leverage their home-ice advantage to clinch the championship. Meanwhile, the Oilers are focused on replicating their Game 4 success to extend the series. Game 5 promises to be an exhilarating contest, filled with high stakes and intense competition. Fans from both sides will be eagerly watching to see if history will be made or if the Panthers will lift the Stanley Cup.