SCF: Florida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers (Series Tied 3-3) Hold onto your butts, Game 7, Monday 8/24 @ 8pm ET !

[Leonardo87]

**Stanley Cup Final**
Florida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers

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[Luigi Lemieux]

Definitely a fair point. Win or lose.. knob was amazing. And I was critical of his hiring.

I'm definitely eating crow about Coffey. Guy has done a stellar job with the d corps

 

[CashMash]

Just remember - Finnish legend Esa Tikkanen is pulling for the oil.

Strange...
I don't see him on the roster.
Not a single Finn.

No reason to cheer for the Oil. Oh well, I guess Pulju should have played better.

 

[Czechboy]

I'm definitely eating crow about Coffey. Guy has done a stellar job with the d corps

Me too!

 

[Czechboy]

Strange...
I don't see him on the roster.
Not a single Finn.

No reason to cheer for the Oil. Oh well, I guess Pulju should have played better.

No czechs either.

 

[llwyd]

Just remember - Finnish legend Esa Tikkanen is pulling for the oil.

Well, as @Coffey also pointed out, there really are plenty of historical ties to Edmonton But none currently and Barkov so would deserve the Cup!

 

[SillyRabbit]

Serious question:

For those people who think Florida has even a decent shot at winning Game 7, what do you think will be the key to their victory?

Because from where I stand, it's so hard to picture them winning.

I can't even put my finger on what they did in the third period of Game 5 which was one of the only periods where they looked decent in the past three games.

Really just feels like Knoblauch is a step ahead of them and they don't know what to do.

 

[Hippasus]

I'm not saying the outcome is only coincidence, but that coincidence is at least a bigger factor than in any other major sport, that it's bigger than most fans appreciate, and that, perhaps, it's the biggest single factor, but not bigger than other factors combined. This all, of course, is across a single game, and a single game 7 especially, where teams are obviously evenly matched and mitigate the differences in strength and skill.

Chance, chaos, and randomness are so nebulous. I'd love to know how big this factor is overall, but I'm skeptical of claims of the precedence of this factor. I don't know, dude. Go Oilers!

 

[byrath]

If the Oilers win it will be the most talked about final for quite some time. The 1942 Leafs are a trivial footnote. An Oilers comeback would truly be unparalleled and historic. This would be the one final where everyone remembered who lost.

I agree with everything you say, but the point is that the Panthers aren't going to lose a bunch of fans or fold as a franchise because of it.

 

[Hippasus]

I wish Gagner could be slotted in. He would bolster that veteran presence, along with Perry et alia.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

He is one of my all-time favorites. Not many NHLers created their own language.

"Tikkanen is famous for his Finnish-English, sometimes referred to as "Tikkanese" or "Tiki-Talk." Even members of his team often did not understand what he was saying. Wayne Gretzky once commented, "He brings something special."

Esa Tikkanen - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I remember Calgary was up 3-0 in a game against the Oil in one of their playoff battles in the 80s and Tikkanen basically took over the bench and started yelling at all of the team to wake up and play harder and Edmonton made a comeback and won. Dude's a warrior.

 

[RMF5630]

Serious question:

For those people who think Florida has even a decent shot at winning Game 7, what do you think will be the key to their victory?

Because from where I stand, it's so hard to picture them winning.

I can't even put my finger on what they did in the third period of Game 5 which was one of the only periods where they looked decent in the past three games.

Really just feels like Knoblauch is a step ahead of them and they don't know what to do.

My issue is I don't see Maurice making changes, what they play is what he is. Been the same at every stop. I see him saying that they have to execute, they have to be more aggressive and it is about FLA tightening up. EDM is a non-issue to him, just like NY, BOS and TB it is about the Panthers playing their game. He may tinker with the 4th line, 4th line is the difference?

Knoblauch strikes me much more of a tactician and will change the attack to counter. Last 3 games it worked.


I think EDM wins because Knoblauch is adjusting against a static opponent. It is checkers, not chess with Maurice. You know what he is going to do. He may practice the challenges more because that pissed him off, I loved it... Couldn't happen to a better team.

 

[dwdl21]

Serious question:

For those people who think Florida has even a decent shot at winning Game 7, what do you think will be the key to their victory?

Because from where I stand, it's so hard to picture them winning.

I can't even put my finger on what they did in the third period of Game 5 which was one of the only periods where they looked decent in the past three games.

Really just feels like Knoblauch is a step ahead of them and they don't know what to do.

As was from game 5 of last years first round to game 7 of this years Stanley Cup, it's Bobrovsky, full stop.

 

[K1900L]

The third line of the Oilers has really made a difference this series. Exactly what they were missing over the past years, where it was McDrai who carried them to any win.

Brown, Janmark, Henrique, Holloway etc have been crucial and were able to partially replace the production of an injured Draisaitl and cold Hyman while being perfect defensively.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Serious question:

For those people who think Florida has even a decent shot at winning Game 7, what do you think will be the key to their victory?

Because from where I stand, it's so hard to picture them winning.

I can't even put my finger on what they did in the third period of Game 5 which was one of the only periods where they looked decent in the past three games.

Really just feels like Knoblauch is a step ahead of them and they don't know what to do.

Florida dominated game 5 by any metric you want to use.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

I remember Calgary was up 3-0 in a game against the Oil in one of their playoff battles in the 80s and Tikkanen basically took over the bench and started yelling at all of the team to wake up and play harder and Edmonton made a comeback and won. Dude's a warrior.

That was Game 7. He scored the GWG which completed the hat trick in Overtime.

 

[NotCommitted]

Series is 3-3, as it probably should be. If you count game 1 for Edmonton then by that logic game 5 should be Panthers etc - score effects go both ways. It's interesting how most games have ended up in a situation where one team has a 3 goal lead or something and the other tries to comeback hard, coming close but not getting it done.

Edmonton has all the momentum but then again it's game 7 and winner takes it all, it's a new situation for both teams and first time the Panthers are playing back against the wall, should provide them the mental reset they probably need at this point. I wouldn't count them out yet.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

.

Florida dominated game 5 by any metric you want to use.

Except goaltending

 

[Norwegianoiler]

Chance, chaos, and randomness are so nebulous. I'd love to know how big this factor is overall, but I'm skeptical of claims of the precedence of this factor. I don't know, dude. Go Oilers!

Well, it's an expression of the variability of hockey compared to other major sports. Variability is not that hard to study, because it's an expression of how data points change over time. It mostly means that while hockey surely is a game of skill, it's also clearly more random and "volatile" than other major sports. Michael Mauboussin deals with this, among other stuff, in the book "The Success Equation".

As for the bolded, f*** yeah!

 

[dwdl21]

.


Except goaltending

Which is what got Florida to where they are.

 

[syz]

Florida dominated game 5 by any metric you want to use.

Expected goals in game 5 were 3.14 to 3.1 for Edmonton. That game was all Oilers until they started turtling at 4-1.

 

[NotCommitted]

For those people who think Florida has even a decent shot at winning Game 7, what do you think will be the key to their victory?

The key is to not give up a 3 goal lead. Even better if they manage to score the first goal, they've won both games where they did that and the one they won where Oilers scored first, they didn't let it get out of hand but got an equalizer to make it 1-1.

If Verhaeghe gets the puck over the line a split second earlier or Reinhart waits a split second longer making sure the play is onside, it's a 2-1 hockey game on a quick return goal and momentum is with the Panthers. Or game 5 Montour doesn't make that boneheaded pass attempt and Oilers don't get the early lead on a shortie and if the rest of the game went exactly like it did (which it probably wouldn't have - who knows what would've happened), Tkachuk's early 3rd period goal is the equalizer. What if's don't count, but the point is the Panthers have made a lot of mistakes that have cost them a lot and if they eliminate those, or Bob starts bailing them out again, they have a good chance.

The way the series has gone, if the team behind manages to make sure it's a 1 goal game going into the third, anything can happen.

 

[matsqq]

I'll feel sorry for the losing team, but the fact that there is only one winner is also what's so exciting about the cup.

For McDavid's sake I wish Edmonton wins it - but at the same time it would be tragic for Florida to lose in the final twice in a row ...

 

[syz]

Series is 3-3, as it probably should be. If you count game 1 for Edmonton then by that logic game 5 should be Panthers etc - score effects go both ways. It's interesting how most games have ended up in a situation where one team has a 3 goal lead or something and the other tries to comeback hard, coming close but not getting it done.

Edmonton has all the momentum but then again it's game 7 and winner takes it all, it's a new situation for both teams and first time the Panthers are playing back against the wall, should provide them the mental reset they probably need at this point. I wouldn't count them out yet.

Games 1 and 5 aren't really comparable. Game 1 the Oilers were better from start to finish but Bobrovsky was Superman, game 5 the Panthers made a push in the 3rd after they were down 4-1. Oilers haven't really "stolen" a game in this series the way the Panthers did in game 1.

 

[Lshap]

Serious question:

For those people who think Florida has even a decent shot at winning Game 7, what do you think will be the key to their victory?

Because from where I stand, it's so hard to picture them winning.

I can't even put my finger on what they did in the third period of Game 5 which was one of the only periods where they looked decent in the past three games.

Really just feels like Knoblauch is a step ahead of them and they don't know what to do.

Unless Florida is physically exhausted or injured, they're the same team that went up 3-0. If Edmonton forgets that, they'll lose.

Fans have the luxury of believing Florida is broken/done. Edmonton doesn't. Any team can beat any team anytime.

 

[llwyd]

Serious question:

For those people who think Florida has even a decent shot at winning Game 7, what do you think will be the key to their victory?

Because from where I stand, it's so hard to picture them winning.

I'm pretty much with you about this - the momentum is totally with the Oilers. Still, some lucky bounce, getting the first goal and the mental game might totally change again. Rationally I think it's like 65-60 to 35-40 game for Edmonton, so actually pretty good chances for Florida, but emotionally I have all but given up the hope...