Hockey world reacts to Edmonton Oilers vs Florida Panthers in Game 7 Stanley Cup Final

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Game 7: Live blog, Edmonton Oilers vs Florida Panthers, Stanley Cup Final

This is it, Game 7, and here is how it unfolded on social and mainstream media, highlights from around the hockey world of the Edmonton Oilers against the Florida Panthers in the final of the Stanley Cup Final.

We’ll start with some final pre-game comments, and update as the game goes along:

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Pre-game talk:

Oilers alumni and NHL Hall-of-Fame player Chris Pronger @chrispronger:
Game 7 tonight! Where heroes are created!

Panthers coach Paul Maurice:
When you think about lifetime careers and opportunities, whether it’s in sport or not, you’re going to have a handful of unusual days. And I mean that in a very good way, special days. Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final is it. It’s so hard to get to but it’s exactly the game that every kid in Canada — as we grew up on our rink in the back nobody ever scored the winner in Game 3 of the Qualifying Round — it’s always this game that we dream about. So it’s here. We want to be present in it. And we want to enjoy it.

Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer on the Oilers in the last three games:
They’ve outscored the Panthers 18-t-5 (in the last three games) and let’s face it, they have a chance for hockey immortality tonight… If they get this done tonight, this team, this group of players, they’ll be legends.

Former Oilers coach and player Craig MacTavish on Oilers Now:
I wouldn’t read too, too much into the discrepancy in goals for and goals against for both teams in the last three games. Some of that is window-dressing. I anticipate this to be a highly-contested, low-scoring game tonight… Can we lose? Absolutely. But all signs going to the Oilers having a pretty significant advantage going into this one.

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Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid:
It’s not an ordinary game. Everybody understands that. But you make it as ordinary as possible in your head… You have to stay even-keeled. You can’t ride the wave or the rollercoaster. We really haven’t done anything yet. We have won three big games to get ourselves back into the series. It comes down to one game here. And we’ll be ready.

Former NHLer and Toronto radio host Nick Kypreos, 1994 Stanley Cup champion:
We know what this would mean to Canada. We know what it would mean to Oilers fan and to fair-weather fans if they want to jump on board tonight, but what does his mean for Paul Maurice and the Florida Panthers. I believe this is one of those where if you find a way to lose, this will haunt you the rest of your life. This is life-altering.

Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek:
How do you not watch this game? Even if you’re not a hockey fan, how are not watching this sport event where you may see the greatest collapse in sports history. It is the biggest stage… We’re going to be talking about this game for the rest of our lives if the Edmonton Oilers can pull this thing off tonight. And it’s everybody that will talk about this… All hockey fans will talk about this.

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Analytics expert Meghan Chayka @MeghanChayka:
Oilers: Less than 4% of their shots on goal came with the goalie in motion during Games 1-3 but that number is nearly 24% in Games 4-6.

Hockey commentator Paul Bissonnette:
My prediction: overtime for sure, Oliver-Ekman Larsson OT winner, Florida wins the Cup.

TSN’s Travis Yost @travisyost:
Let this be a lesson to US broadcasters — superstars draw. Ratings tonight will be nuclear. No one wants to watch the Blackhawks fifteen times a year. No one.

Edmonton Oilers d-man Mattias Ekholm:
I’m approaching it the way I approached Game 4 down 0-3. We have been in this position now for three straight, this will be the fourth straight game. For us, nothing changes. If you blow this game up in your mind you’re just going to be nervous and not playing your game.

TSN reporter Salim Nadim Valji @salimvalji:
Edmonton Oilers say 31,000 people expected at arena viewing party, fan park across a street, and Moss Pit, which is now open and starting to fill up.

Edmonton Journal Asst. Managing Editor Trevor Robb
NEWS: Edmonton Police are asking the public to “refrain from attending the area of Rogers Place unless you are attending the watch party. The fan parks have reached full capacity.” Also: “be respectful of the space and each other.”

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Florida Panthers system player Zac Dalpe @ZacDalpe22:
Can’t speak to the past but it seems like hockey has never been in a better place than it is right now. GM 7. On the pond- in the driveway- game winning goal feelings. Every media outlet involved. Hoping rats 🐀 fill the ice. Lord Stanley in the building. Chills.

Edmonton goalie expert Oil In Goal @oilingoal:
Bobrovsky had some very clear weaknesses throughout the playoffs coming in: shot from distance (specifically off the rush) up high and getting stretched out to his blocker side. The Foegele goal was a perfect example of the latter in game 6, with Draisaitl giving a perfect feed. Bobrovsky doesn’t take a straight line back to the post, which leaves the short side open.The other thing that happens is his stick forces his blocker to twist upwards, which leaves the hole under his arm that Hyman exploited.

Craig MacTavish on losing Game 7 2006 to Carolina:
That was 18 years ago and I’m still wounded by it, more so than I was when we lost the game. I’m still whining about it because I really believe our best back in Carolina was good enough to beat their best and we just didn’t throw out best at them, for whatever reason. I don’t know. I’ve spent a lot of time wracking my brain thinking of things we could have done differently… We all have regret and remorse that we didn’t play our best hockey in Game 7. I feel terrible for guys that never ended up winning a Cup that deserved one. Ryan Smyth, Shawn Horcoff, Ales Hemsky, Jason Smith, nobody deserved it more than him, Fernando Pisani, Raffi Torres, Dwayne Roloson.

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Sportsnet’s Kevin Bieksa:
The Florida Panthers to have to figure out a way to get the Edmonton Oilers out of their groove somehow early.

First Period:

Florida 1, Oilers 0, Carter Verhaege scores

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Panthers podcaster Jacob Langsman @ PantherPourri:
Verhaeghe was just saving his annual most important goal in franchise history to open up the scoring in game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final!

Oilers fan keith @kman1967:
Nothing Skinner could do about that one. Nice tip!

Panthers 1, Oilers 1, Mattias Janmark scores

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Oilers fan Raja Dhami @gretzkytokurri:
MR. GAME 7 CODY CECI WITH A BEAUTY PASS TO JANMARK! TIE GAME!

Oilers fan @oilygifs:
THE JANITOR!!!!!!!

Oilers Nation blogger Sid @NHL_Sid:
You cannot stop Game 7 Cody Ceci. You can only wish to contain him.

Edmonton sports broadcaster Dave Jamieson @thedavejamieson:
Matty Janmark will forever be Mr. June to me

The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus @MarkLazerus:
If he keeps this up, Mattias Janmark will legally be required to change his name to Connor…This has been a pretty good period of hockey, if you’re into breathless speed, brilliant execution, unbearable tension and unfathomable stakes, I guess.

Panthers fan Jacob Winans @JacobWinans8:
Bob has been beaten on five straight breakaways. Gotta be better than that… Ekblad doesn’t need to be a hero. He just needs to be smart and not make those critical game breaking mistakes. No idea what he was thinking on the Janmark goal at all

Oilers alumni Ryan Whitney @ryanwhitney6:
I’m gonna have a heart attack.

AP hockey writer Stephen Whyno @SWhyno:
Ryan McLeod has now had a couple of board battle situations where he has failed to get the puck out of the Oilers zone. The Panthers scored the first time, got a Grade-A scoring chance that time with Matthew Tkachuk missing high and wide.

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Hockey scout Dan Tencer @dantencer:
Florida going all-in on high shots with traffic for deflections. Smart strategy. Oilers will need to win that ice.

Florida reporter Colby Guy @ColbyDGuy:
Dmitry Kulikov misses a nearly wide-open net on a solid chance from the top of the slot late in the first.

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski @wyshynski:
WHAT A FIRST PERIOD THIS GAME RULES

End of first period: Grade A shots, Edmonton 2, Florida 1.

Sportsnet’s Kelly Hrudey:
That was a really good period for Florida. And it started early. Using their speed, way better on the forecheck, a lot of down low plays, made it hard for the Oilers.

Sportsnet’s Bieksa:
The best we’ve seen the Panthers since Game 3.

Sportsnet Toronto radio commentator Justin Bourne @jtbourne:
FLA been great but EDM defending the slot extremely well. Keeping them out on the paint. Been so good in rush game they’re fine doing what they’ve been doing on the road, waiting for chances to go.

Hockey data analyst Corey Sznajder @ShutdownLine:
This game is straight nitro.

Oilers fan Rob Soria @Oil_Drop:
Oilers have to be happy with that opening 20 minutes. If the Panthers weren’t going to push now, it was never coming. Tweak a few things, (spacing between forwards and defence in their own end) and keep playing the hell out of the Henrique line.

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Oilers fan Rich @easternrefugee:
Not happy with this game AT ALL. Florida is back in game 1 mode. Zero serious offense by Edmonton and near zero ozone time. Skinner getting destroyed with little help. Cannot clear the zone.

Second Period

Florida hockey writer Colby Guy @ColbyDGuy:
Kevin Stenlund was caught out there without a stick for just over a minute and the Panthers managed to escape. They held the Oilers to the perimeter for a while before Sergei Bobrovsky came up with a save that allowed Stenlund to get off the ice.

Florida 2, Oilers 1, Sam Reinhart scores

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NHL reporter The Fourth Period Anthony Di Marco @ADiMarco25:
Skinner can’t give that up.

NHL.com writer Dan Rosen @drosennhl:
The play by Dmitry Kulikov to clear the puck out of the crease before he slid into the net was terrific. Without Kulikov’s play, Reinhart doesn’t get this chance.

Detroit hockey writer George Malik @georgemalik:
Florida continues to kind of muck and grind here vs. the Oilers…and KULIKOV dives to make a stop, up come the Panthers via Reinhart he chips it in and it’s tipped through Skinner.

AP reporter Stephen Whyno @SWhyno:
These are the lockdown Panthers who got to this point and went up three games to none in the Stanley Cup Final. They are just different (read: better) playing with the lead.

Oilers fan Brad Lauder @OILfanincowtown:
We need McDavid to do something, same with Drai get skating, and make some plays

Hockey scout Dan Tencer@dantencer
Yes, you’d also ideally like the save on the 2nd goal. Especially with Bobrovsky back to form. But it’s a hell of a look… Kulak has no reason to collapse to the middle. Both guys are already covered and Leon is in position. By the time Leon tries to cover for Kulak giving Reinhart the lane, it’s too late… Florida did an excellent job of desperate defending when the Oilers pressured that period, same as the Oilers did with Florida’s pressure in the 1st. One bad defensive read gives a highly dangerous scorer a clear lane and it’s 2-1. Thin, thin margins.

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Hockey commentator Pete Blackburn @PeteBlackburn:
This game absolutely rocks

End of second period: Grade A shots, Florida 4, Edmonton, 6

Oilers fan Shauna @SLShockeyfan:
Ok. We have 20 minutes to save my soul. I’m going to go touch grass.

Sportsnet columnist Mark Spector @SportsnetSpec:
Of course the Oilers are trailing after two. Their whole season has been like this.

TVA hockey writer in Montreal Eric Engels @EricEngels:
This game has absolutely lived up to expectations so far. Both teams killing themselves to win. I have no idea how it’ll end, but is it unfair to expect McDavid to do something magical?

Oilers hockey writer Jim Matheson @jimmathesonnhl:
Draisaitl doesn’t seem to have his energy, his second gear. Are we going to find out afterwards he was compromised with a back issue or something else?

Oilers fan Walton @StevenGWalton:
Ok Connor. We need you.

Oilers fan Bookjie @Bookjie:
It’s a game of inches. The Oilers have hit a post and had two dribble past the post.
Let’s see what the third brings.

Third Period

Oilers fan @oilygifs:
imagine if the oilers could shoot and score

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Panthers fan Adam Reid @AdamReid_:
STOP LETTING MCDAVID MOVE. TAKE ALL SPACE AWAY. DON’T GIVE HIM ONE INCH FLORIDA. MAN MARK LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER BEFORE

Hockey scout Dan Tencer @dantencer:
Suffocating performance by Florida. The Oilers have had the puck enough in the 2nd and so far in the 3rd, but they can’t break through the inside.

Sportsnet annoucner Chris Cuthbert:
Evan Bouchard again up top. Try to send it through. McDavid! Hyman! Bobrovsky down and it stayed out. How did it stay out!?

Florida podcaster Jacob Langsman of Panther Pourri
FORSLING AND MONTOUR WITH THEIR MOST IMPORTANT DEFENSIVE PLAYS OF THEIR CAREERS

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The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus @MarkLazerus:
Panthers in full Hang In There, Kitty mode… If Florida wins, the statue is Forsling and Montour getting their sticks in the way.

Detroit hockey writer George Malik @georgemalik:
McDavid is a picture of frustration being held together by very little other than pride right now. He’s gone into video game mode, and he can’t correct his team’s mistakes regardless. Under 5:00 left.

Detroit’s Malik:
Bobrovsky bumped by Lundell and OH MY GOODNESS BOUCHARD CAN’T CONVERT… Sans stick, Panthers clear, but ice it with 3:29 left 3rd.

Oilers fan Sumit Tripathi @Sumit_Tripathi_:
Feeling absolutely devastated right now

Sportsnet announcer Chris Cuthbert:
Puck down the ice. No icing. Into the corner. Florida trying to keep it there. Clock is draining. And for the first time in their history the Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup champions.

End of third period: Grade A shots, Edmonton 9, Panthers 5

Oilers alumni Ryan Whitney @ryanwhitney6:
Soul crushing loss for the Oil. They will be back and get one. I have no doubt. Amazing effort by Bob and the Panthers. Crowd was awesome tonight. Congrats Florida.

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The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus @MarkLazerus:
Knoblauch overused his big guns in the third, but how could he not? Who wouldn’t have?

Florida Panthers d-man Aaron Ekblad:
They always say you can’t f*cking get the words out. Man, that’s incredible, it’s amazing. Sorry for swearing. This is the best moment of my life so far. Nothing tops it.

Oilers fan Stephen Vani @SjVani92:
This’ll hurt for awhile but I’m so f*cking proud of my team. Congrats, Panthers. #LetsGoOilers

Oilers fan Raja Dhami @gretzkytokurri:
This one hurts. 1 game short. I’ve experienced 2 heartbreaking SCF G7 losses in my life. I had to wait 18 years to watch the Oilers get this opportunity again. I hope I don’t have to wait that long again to see the Oilers win it. I’m proud of the Oilers for fighting back.

Hockey analytics expert David Johnson @hockeyanalysis:
Panthers held Oilers to 23 shots and most importantly just 3 from McDavid, Draisaitl and Hyman combined.

Bruce McCurdy, the Cult of Hockey
Not scoring on THE pp was killer. 1 opportunity the entire game

Panthers coach Paul Maurice:
It’s just brilliant. I’ve never hugged so many sweaty men in my entire life. I’m not sure I’m going to do it again. But I’m going to do it tonight. But, you know what? It’s not what I thought it would be. It’s so much better. But it’s the hugs, man. I saw Sam Bennett smile today. First time in two years. It’s for my mom and dad in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario… All of the people that suffered through 30 years of me losing and making excuses. Mom and Dad especially. Hey Dad, your name is going up with your heroes. Beliveau. Richard. Howe. Lindsay. Maurice.

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman:
The winner of the Conn Smythe is Connor McDavid

Toronto TV shot Sid Seixeiro @Sid_Seixeiro:
Full marks to Connor McDavid for not coming out to receive that playoff MVP. He’s not in the mood man.

Panthers player Matthew Tkachuk:
Shout to my fans in Calgary. You know I couldn’t let Edmonton win

Oilers fan Goodfella @DhillonSteve:
Oilers were valiant in their fight but the better team won tonight

Oilers fan Adam @OilersAdam:
I’m gutted. I’m so proud of this team. A year I’ll never forget. The ups and downs. All of it. The way the city showed up. They battled to the very end and gave it their all. This is only the beginning for the Edmonton Oilers. They’ll be back.

At the Cult of Hockey

LEAVINS: Game grades in Game 7 loss to Panthers

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