(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 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, then 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 beaten in five games in the final last year by the Vegas Golden Knights.
They would like to subject the same fate to the Oilers in 2024.
On Saturday, Edmonton scored on the penalty kill and on the penalty kill. The Panthers were muzzled in four power plays. Stuart Skinner blocked 32 shots. All positive elements for the next game, argue the Oilers.
“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. »