(Edmonton) After scoring just four goals in the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final, the Oilers avoided being swept by getting help from several sources.
The Edmonton club hopes it will be the same story in Game 5 on Tuesday in Florida.
Mattias Janmark, Dylan Holloway, Adam Henrique and Darnell Nurse were among the lesser-known players who took part in the Panthers’ 8-1 thaw on Saturday.
Connor McDavid provided a goal and three assists, while Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman each delivered their first game with more than a point in the final.
No less than 15 of the team’s 18 skaters collected at least one point on Saturday.
Sergei Bobrovsky was beaten five times in 16 shots, later being replaced by Anthony Stolarz.
“We’ve won our fair share of games where our stars have been our best players,” head coach Kris Knoblauch said Sunday, before his team flew to Sunrise.
“We’ve also had our fair share of wins where it was more down to the support guys or the goalie. »
A sixth game would take place Friday in Alberta.
Florida was defeated in five games in last year’s final by the Vegas Golden Knights.
They would like to subject the same fate to the Oilers in 2024.
On Saturday, Edmonton scored shorthanded and power-played. The Panthers were held to four power plays. Stuart Skinner stopped 32 shots. All positives heading into the next game, the Oilers say.
“All we can control is how we play,” Knoblauch said. We will try to offer our best hockey. We hope it’s enough to win three more games. »
