The Florida Panthers are on the cusp of history. They need one more win to secure their first-ever Stanley Cup as they lead the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers by a series score of 3-1. The series will shift back to Sunrise, Florida on Tuesday night.
The Oilers avoided the sweep with a lopsided 8-1 victory in Edmonton on Saturday night. So far, that is the biggest loss the Panthers have faced this postseason. Regardless, they need to get their final win on Tuesday night, or it could turn into a massive problem for them.
In the Playoffs, You Never Want to Shift Momentum to the Opposition
One of the biggest things that gives teams a chance to win is simply momentum, and that has both benefited and haunted the Panthers and teams across the NHL in the past.
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In last year’s Cup Final, the Panthers had a longer break than the Vegas Golden Knights after sweeping the Carolina Hurricanes. They ended up dropping the series in five games because of that. Another perfect example is the 2014 Los Angeles Kings. That team went down 3-0 against the San Jose Sharks in the first round. They proceeded to win four straight, completing the fourth reverse sweep in NHL history.
A blowout win like the one on Saturday is fuel to the fire for the Oilers’ momentum. The Panthers need to put it to a halt on Tuesday night.
Oilers Are Undefeated When Facing Elimination This Postseason
In the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Oilers have faced elimination three times so far. And every time they have, they’ve answered the bell and not only avoided elimination but advanced. The last team to go undefeated when facing elimination was the 2014 Kings.
Because of that, Edmonton has the seventh-best win percentage in NHL history when in this situation with a .512 victory rate and a record of 21-20. The Panthers have to turn the zero on that record into a one as soon as possible.
Luckily, the Panthers Have Been Fantastic at Rebounding From Bad Losses
Throughout the postseason, the Panthers have lost three games where they allowed five or more goals. And every single time that happened, they would follow it up with a victory in the next game. In addition, they are 4-1 this postseason after suffering a loss with a plus-11 goal differential in those games.
Related: Panthers’ Paul Maurice on Track to Break NHL Record for Games Coached
While the scores were not as high as 8-1, the point still remains. Florida has been great at rebounding from a heavy defeat with a win the following game. They need to do it one last time.
Can the Panthers Get it Done and Win the Cup?
The Panthers are so close to the Cup that they can almost taste it, and it’ll taste especially sweeter considering the outcome of last season. All it takes is one more win and they’ll be etched in not only hockey history but South Florida sports history as well.
The Panthers franchise has waited 30 years for this moment, and the wait is even more unbearable with all the turmoil the team has suffered over the last 20 years with poor management, relocation rumors and attendance issues. The last two seasons have shown that those days are over. With a win on Tuesday, they can make that statement permanent and show the NHL that South Florida is a hockey town.
