{"id":247,"date":"2024-06-03T07:25:12","date_gmt":"2024-06-03T07:25:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesheraldglobalnews.com\/2024\/06\/03\/2024-stanley-cup-final-panthers-oilers-schedule-stats-more\/"},"modified":"2024-06-03T07:25:12","modified_gmt":"2024-06-03T07:25:12","slug":"2024-stanley-cup-final-panthers-oilers-schedule-stats-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mainaccount.site\/reviews\/2024\/06\/03\/2024-stanley-cup-final-panthers-oilers-schedule-stats-more\/","title":{"rendered":"2024 Stanley Cup Final: Panthers-Oilers schedule, stats, more"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<ul class=\"authors\">\n<li>\n<p>Ryan S. Clark<\/p>\n<div class=\"author-overlay\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"icon-font-after icon-close-solid-after\" href=\"#\">Close<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"multi-authors\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"author-img\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=\/i\/columnists\/full\/clark_ryan.png&amp;h=80&amp;w=80&amp;scale=crop\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Ryan S. Clark<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"source\">NHL reporter<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<ul>Ryan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN.<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Kristen Shilton<\/p>\n<div class=\"author-overlay\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"icon-font-after icon-close-solid-after\" href=\"#\">Close<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"multi-authors\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"author-img\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=\/i\/columnists\/full\/shilton_kristen.png&amp;h=80&amp;w=80&amp;scale=crop\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Kristen Shilton<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"source\">ESPN NHL reporter<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<ul>Kristen Shilton is a national NHL reporter for ESPN.<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span class=\"timestamp \">Jun 2, 2024, 11:05 PM ET<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>From a regular-season batch of 32 teams, to a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/story\/_\/id\/39964783\/nhl-playoffs-2024-stanley-cup-bracket-schedule-teams-players-preview\">Stanley Cup playoff<\/a> field of 16, and now down to two, the NHL\u2019s champion is close to being crowned for 2024.<\/p>\n<p>A year after losing in the Stanley Cup Final to the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"dd8e7d92-918d-4ec1-4e50-c328fc09467a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/vgk\/vegas-golden-knights\">Vegas Golden Knights<\/a>, the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"195561c3-b7d9-935e-0623-8f0a00357080\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/fla\/florida-panthers\">Florida Panthers<\/a> are out to finish their story and raise the Cup for the first time in franchise history.<\/p>\n<p>For the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"c78600f3-cea1-f6e0-11cf-dfeefe1897ff\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/edm\/edmonton-oilers\">Edmonton Oilers<\/a>, a Stanley Cup would silence all the \u201cyeah, but\u201d conversations regarding superstars <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"8e2e22e8-01b6-8acb-8a50-47f4941b52c6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3895074\/connor-mcdavid\">Connor McDavid<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"6b2cc7e8-2609-d4e0-5d7e-aef611d2037c\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3114727\/leon-draisaitl\">Leon Draisaitl<\/a>, and etch their names among the franchise greats from five prior Cup teams.<\/p>\n<p>Game 1 is Saturday, June 8 (<strong><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/game\/_\/gameId\/401675105\/tbd-tbd\">8 p.m. ET, ABC and ESPN+<\/a><\/strong>). Here\u2019s everything you need to know about both teams, from key players to watch, goaltender confidence ratings, and the top trends for each team coming out of the conference finals.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"6px\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/i\/mlb\/infographics\/greyline.png\" width=\"100%\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=\/i\/teamlogos\/nhl\/500\/fla.png&amp;h=110&amp;w=110\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Stanley Cup wins:<\/strong> None<br \/><strong>How they got here:<\/strong> Defeated <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"49fa608f-040f-21c1-ebfb-99e8feb8b774\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/tb\/tampa-bay-lightning\">Lightning<\/a> 4-1, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"585503ab-1462-2afe-7a70-aafea4f6b1b6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/bos\/boston-bruins\">Bruins<\/a> 4-2, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"4e807ac9-f3b7-8e3b-8549-441c1e604c17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/nyr\/new-york-rangers\">Rangers<\/a> 4-2<\/p>\n<p><strong>Goalie confidence rating: 9 out of 10<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"64c24e22-3e0a-e97a-0a79-3ba239e98ad8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/5571\/sergei-bobrovsky\">Sergei Bobrovsky<\/a> has been rock solid for the Panthers throughout these playoffs. Granted, the team\u2019s excellent defensive play has aided Bobrovsky. But the veteran\u2019s steady stream of quality performances gives Florida undeniable confidence Bobrovsky will be there to make the big saves.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline editorial float-r\" data-behavior=\"article_related\">\n<h2 class=\"editorial-title\">Editor\u2019s Picks<\/h2>\n<p>2 Related<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>He has earned a 12-5 record in the postseason, with a .908 save percentage and 2.20 goals-against average. The only playoff starter who has averaged fewer goals against per game than Bobrovsky was Boston\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"7965a045-dc71-3744-8110-96c1600dfff6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/4712036\/jeremy-swayman\">Jeremy Swayman<\/a> (and Bobrovsky ultimately won that battle when Florida sent the Bruins packing in their second-round series).<\/p>\n<p>Bobrovsky had to be the Panthers\u2019 hero during last season\u2019s run to the Cup Final, and it wore him down in the end. This year\u2019s workload has been more manageable, and that should set Bobrovsky up for continued success.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What the Eastern Conference finals taught us about the Panthers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Florida is the total package. The Panthers have star power, scoring depth, elite defensive habits, a top-tier goaltender and \u2014 perhaps most crucial of all \u2014 innate killer instinct.<\/p>\n<p>The team was exceptional in the third period against the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"4e807ac9-f3b7-8e3b-8549-441c1e604c17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/nyr\/new-york-rangers\">New York Rangers<\/a> down the stretch of their series, winning the final three games by a one-goal margin. The Panthers also shut the Rangers down at 5-on-5 in that span, allowing just one even-strength goal while simultaneously rendering New York\u2019s once-vaunted power play completely ineffective with a stifling penalty kill. And the way Florida held the Rangers\u2019 elite scorers from producing \u2014 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"ab433452-d40f-93a3-8915-2b559768ff01\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3891952\/artemi-panarin\">Artemi Panarin<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"f5d7992b-2354-c15c-a899-0ef26e78018d\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/2562637\/mika-zibanejad\">Mika Zibanejad<\/a> combined for a single goal through six games \u2014 was a byproduct of the Panthers\u2019 full-team buy-in on defense.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, Florida can be deadly off the rush while equally strong suppressing those chances from going the other way. Their ability to make New York pay for mistakes was another backbreaker for the Rangers, who couldn\u2019t find the same opportunities to do damage. Florida rarely offers quality looks, and Bobrovsky stood tall against the most glaring breakdowns.<\/p>\n<div data-behavior=\"video_scroll\" class=\"contentItem__content contentItem__content--media-card contentItem__content--fullWidth contentItem__content--inline\">\n<figure data-video=\"watch,640,360,40261013,whitelist-GA|SS|MQ|MP|SL|AI|ML|AG|UM|GH|PW|KE|TT|MU|GF|IT|HT|BM|VI|CV|BF|VG|YE|NL|CM|FJ|GD|SC|SN|KN|SX|DJ|RW|SO|ET|CD|ER|MH|TD|BS|ZW|LC|KY|MR|ES|BB|GU|BI|CI|BJ|NE|BZ|MG|NA|TC|BR|FM|BQ|GP|AR|LR|VC|JM|GN|TZ|AU|GY|KM|NG|RE|GM|GQ|UG|AO|GW|TG|ST|ZM|BE|MW|SZ|AW|BW|NZ|PR|SD|SR|MS|MZ|US|AS|LS|CG|CF|\" data-cerebro-id=\"665c06ebca84b7520580027a\" data-title=\"Panthers claw down Rangers to advance to second straight Stanley Cup Final\" class=\"media-wrapper_image video\" data-source=\"espn\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a4.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fmedia%2Fmotion%2F2024%2F0602%2Fdm_240602_panthers_sc_highlight157%2Fdm_240602_panthers_sc_highlight157.jpg&amp;w=670&amp;cquality=40&amp;format=jpg\"\/><span class=\"video-play-button restricted\" data-id=\"40261013\">play<\/span><figcaption class=\"media-caption\">\n<p>2:01<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"contentItem__contentWrapper\">\n<p>Panthers claw down Rangers to advance to second straight Stanley Cup Final<\/p>\n<p class=\"contentItem__subhead\">The Panthers take care of business against the Rangers in Game 6 to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the second year running.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Players who will be key to the Cup Final<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One of Florida\u2019s strengths may be its defense in a collective sense. But the Panthers\u2019 defensemen will certainly be in the spotlight when the likes of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"8e2e22e8-01b6-8acb-8a50-47f4941b52c6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3895074\/connor-mcdavid\">Connor McDavid<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"6b2cc7e8-2609-d4e0-5d7e-aef611d2037c\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3114727\/leon-draisaitl\">Leon Draisaitl<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"5b0d90b5-918f-a2ac-02fb-b9960c87f6e7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/5509\/zach-hyman\">Zach Hyman<\/a> try to get rolling.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline float-r inline-track\">\n<h2 class=\"img-title\">Stanley Cup playoffs 2024<\/h2>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plus.espn.com\/nhl?ex_cid=ESPN-ESPN-Article-Large_In-Line_Box-Evergreen-NHL-NHL_Stories_In-Line_Box-US-EN&amp;cid=ESPN-ESPN-Article-Large_In-Line_Box-Evergreen-NHL-NHL_Stories_In-Line_Box-US-EN\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"imageLoaded\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/photo\/2024\/0519\/nhl_conference-finals_v2_16x9.jpg\" width=\"100%\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>There are just four teams left vying for the Stanley Cup. Check out our coverage, with TV times, the latest news, results and more.<br \/><b>\u2022 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/story\/_\/id\/39964783\/nhl-playoffs-2024-stanley-cup-bracket-schedule-teams-players-preview\">Playoff Central<\/a><\/b><br \/><b>\u2022 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plus.espn.com\/nhl?ex_cid=ESPN-ESPN-Article-Large_In-Line_Box-Evergreen-NHL-NHL_Stories_In-Line_Box-US-EN&amp;cid=ESPN-ESPN-Article-Large_In-Line_Box-Evergreen-NHL-NHL_Stories_In-Line_Box-US-EN\">Subscribe to ESPN+ <\/a><\/b><br \/><b>\u2022 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/watch\/catalog\/1a5f0227-a13e-396c-8cea-8961bc288666\/\">Stream the NHL on ESPN<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"66ce9735-1fef-1d21-d135-0c4eb940ae5d\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3151784\/gustav-forsling\">Gustav Forsling<\/a> has had a brilliant postseason going up against some of the toughest opposing matchups, and he has also contributed offensively (four goals and 11 points). <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"d31e3f2a-ae1f-cd08-a5bb-2bbede93ea3b\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3115032\/brandon-montour\">Brandon Montour<\/a>\u2018s physicality and active stick breaking up rush chances has been invaluable. Florida defends well and is aggressive in holding shooters to the outside and limiting action from the slot.<\/p>\n<p>That will be critical in preventing the Oilers from running wild. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"470655a5-12e6-c7b2-7463-918e80d8646b\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3114717\/aaron-ekblad\">Aaron Ekblad<\/a> should also play a key role in steadying Florida from the back end \u2014 and this year he won\u2019t be playing in the Cup Final with a broken foot. That\u2019s a definite improvement.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Player who needs to step up<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"7b6e2bed-03dd-b6b3-8b53-088de7b5f5d1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3042088\/carter-verhaeghe\">Carter Verhaeghe<\/a> was a force for Florida early in the postseason. His production has been dwindling, though. Verhaeghe popped in five goals in five games against Tampa Bay, but he has just four goals total since then. He put only two shots on net in the final two games of the conference finals and wasn\u2019t nearly as visible for the Panthers in creating opportunities around the net (although <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"18cff911-d196-0aac-e5b9-63a9cbdc7ad5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3151297\/igor-shesterkin\">Igor Shesterkin<\/a> did make a notable save on Verhaeghe in Game 6).<\/p>\n<p>All of that is to say, Verhaeghe needs to recapture his first-series form in the Cup Final. There will be a laundry list of capable scorers across the ice \u2014 and some obviously elite talents, too \u2014 and the Panthers can\u2019t afford any passengers in their group. Verhaeghe can absolutely be a difference-maker for Florida and drive its offense. Now is the time for him to shift gears.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is there a coaching edge for the Panthers?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Cup Final will feature two head coaches at opposite ends of the NHL spectrum. Florida coach Paul Maurice has been in the league for two decades, and he has now reached three Cup Finals (two with Florida). Edmonton\u2019s Kris Knoblauch hasn\u2019t even coached an entire NHL season yet, having replaced Jay Woodcroft in November as his first gig in the league. Will experience be a factor for either side?<\/p>\n<p>The Oilers have responded well to Knoblauch, and their on-ice success since he took over is abundantly clear. But when evenly matched opponents like Florida and Edmonton clash, there is generally an X factor that emerges to separate the sides, something more intangible. Things such as a critical line change, or knowing when to take a timeout, or being able to read the demeanor of your team and adjust accordingly. All of that will be heightened given the stakes in the Cup Final.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve already seen in the playoffs how well-timed coaching decisions have helped secure wins in tight contests. The margins for error in this series will be slim. The edge could lie not with who is sitting on the bench, but standing behind it.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=\/i\/teamlogos\/nhl\/500\/edm.png&amp;h=110&amp;w=110\" width=\"90\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Stanley Cup wins:<\/strong> 1990, 1988, 1987, 1985, 1984<br \/><strong>How they got here:<\/strong> Defeated <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"47ce4014-1c1f-c67f-bfe6-ec95d5f57a87\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/la\/los-angeles-kings\">Kings<\/a> 4-1, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"64856285-41c1-61e8-4b7f-72a347c8c018\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/van\/vancouver-canucks\">Canucks<\/a> 4-3, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"165c24ec-4c6b-36f2-b276-3169cf6ab8f7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/dal\/dallas-stars\">Stars<\/a> 4-2<\/p>\n<p><strong>Goalie confidence rating: 9 out of 10<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There were certainly questions about <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"8cbb2141-3895-67e0-318a-1a012cd17466\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/4268767\/stuart-skinner\">Stuart Skinner<\/a> earlier this postseason. But how he has performed since Game 6 of the second round has only added to what makes the Oilers such a problem in the defensive zone. They enter the Stanley Cup Final allowing just 25.1 shots per game, the third fewest among 2024 playoff teams.<\/p>\n<p>With a penalty kill that held the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"165c24ec-4c6b-36f2-b276-3169cf6ab8f7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/dal\/dallas-stars\">Dallas Stars<\/a> to zero goals through the conference finals, the Oilers have one of the strongest defensive identities in the league.<\/p>\n<p>Complementing that with a consistent version of Skinner \u2014 who had a 1.95 goals-against average against the Stars \u2014 only adds to the argument that the Oilers might be the most complete team in the playoffs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What the Western Conference finals taught us about the Oilers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That anyone who still believes this team is just <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"6b2cc7e8-2609-d4e0-5d7e-aef611d2037c\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3114727\/leon-draisaitl\">Leon Draisaitl<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"8e2e22e8-01b6-8acb-8a50-47f4941b52c6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3895074\/connor-mcdavid\">Connor McDavid<\/a> has not been paying attention. The path they took to beat the Stars in the Western Conference finals is proof.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline float-r inline-track\">\n<h2 class=\"img-title\">NHL Draft Coverage on ESPN<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-lazyload=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/photo\/2024\/0327\/r1310748_608x342_16-9.jpg\" class=\"round lazyload\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The 2024 NHL draft will take place June 28-29 in Las Vegas. Get caught up on everything you need to know about the top prospects with draft preview content from Rachel Doerrie:<\/p>\n<p><b>\u2022 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/insider\/story\/_\/id\/40114470\/nhl-mock-draft-2024-lottery-top-predictions-players-order-best\">Latest mock draft<\/a><\/b><br \/><b>\u2022 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/insider\/story\/_\/id\/40152697\/nhl-draft-2024-rankings-prospects-order-list-celebrini-levshunov-demidov-lindstrom\">Draft prospect rankings<\/a><\/b><br \/><b>\u2022 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/story\/_\/id\/40103069\/nhl-draft-2024-order-picks-lottery-sharks-blackhawks-ducks\">Draft order<\/a><\/b><br \/><b>\u2022 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/\">More NHL coverage<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>In the Oilers\u2019 victories in Games 4 and 5, they received key goals from players such as <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"425602f7-06a6-3d51-91bc-b145663772e5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3042085\/mattias-janmark\">Mattias Janmark<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"763a0619-841a-3643-56e2-050b652bc91d\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/4378669\/ryan-mcleod\">Ryan McLeod<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"f42c65fe-0bc3-dfa1-cd32-7d32c0d1de67\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/2562624\/ryan-nugent-hopkins\">Ryan Nugent-Hopkins<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"721f7876-9424-10f7-ec95-08fb40b36bf2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/4565229\/philip-broberg\">Philip Broberg<\/a>. Their penalty kill was perfect against the Stars, including going 3-for-3 in the pivotal Game 6.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019ve developed a two-way identity that has allowed them to play comfortably in one-goal games, including the closeout in Game 6. They\u2019ve made goal prevention a serious component to their success, and it has only added to the looming threat that the Oilers could break out to score more than four goals in a game as well.<\/p>\n<p>A team that has been billed as an offensive juggernaut has shown it can be the complete package.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Players who will be key to the Cup Final<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Oilers have Draisaitl and McDavid, a pair of elite forwards who have four Hart Trophies between them. But again, they are more than that.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"5b0d90b5-918f-a2ac-02fb-b9960c87f6e7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/5509\/zach-hyman\">Zach Hyman<\/a> has given them a forechecking winger who can control the net front. They have a puck-moving defenseman in <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"89ce494d-c7d3-ea64-f7d1-f0f65f4f4ed4\" href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/4352722\/evan-bouchard\">Evan Bouchard<\/a>, who, along with <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"bb1958d7-af11-2378-d41e-94d65ad44e3b\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/2558631\/mattias-ekholm\">Mattias Ekholm<\/a>, gives the Oilers a trusted top pairing.<\/p>\n<p>This postseason has elevated Nugent-Hopkins\u2019 profile as a two-way player because of what he has been able to do at 5-on-5, on the penalty kill and on the power play; he could be their most important forward not named Draisaitl or McDavid.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s also what <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"dbdd8c0b-8107-9401-8595-42335903f296\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/3041997\/darnell-nurse\">Darnell Nurse<\/a> accomplished against Dallas, going from a figure under scrutiny to being one of the Oilers\u2019 most consistent players to close out the series. That includes logging more than 21 minutes with three hits while not being on the ice for a goal against in Game 6. That version of Nurse would be instrumental in helping capture the franchise\u2019s first title since 1990.<\/p>\n<div data-behavior=\"video_scroll\" class=\"contentItem__content contentItem__content--media-card contentItem__content--fullWidth contentItem__content--inline\">\n<figure data-video=\"watch,640,360,40266390,whitelist-KM|SZ|VE|KY|GH|JM|KN|AS|MG|ST|ES|ET|PE|TG|MQ|MU|SL|CD|MT|SR|TR|BF|RW|MW|ML|CF|CI|VA|MZ|MS|NG|PR|PY|GQ|LC|PW|AG|GN|HU|GU|CO|VI|IT|MR|SO|UG|BB|CM|ZW|CY|MP|GA|TZ|SS|BS|SC|BR|EC|RE|BQ|ZM|SX|NL|US|UM|TD|GF|CV|BM|LS|NE|FM|GW|KE|DJ|BO|SD|AR|BI|TT|FJ|GP|MH|RO|AI|BJ|AU|GD|LR|GY|BW|TC|CL|NZ|SM|SN|BE|ZA|VC|GR|CU|UY|CG|AO|NA|ER|GM|AW|\" data-cerebro-id=\"665d2d98b5cd2e678a3326e0\" data-title=\"Oilers celebrate advancing to the Stanley Cup Final\" class=\"media-wrapper_image video\" data-source=\"espn\" data-contributing-partner=\"wsc\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a2.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fmedia%2Fmotion%2F2024%2F0602%2Fss_20240602_224233822_25838151385%2Fss_20240602_224233822_25838151385.jpg&amp;w=670&amp;cquality=40&amp;format=jpg\"\/><span class=\"video-play-button restricted\" data-id=\"40266390\">play<\/span><figcaption class=\"media-caption\">\n<p>1:07<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"contentItem__contentWrapper\">\n<p>Oilers celebrate advancing to the Stanley Cup Final<\/p>\n<p class=\"contentItem__subhead\">The Oilers hang on to defeat the Stars in a hectic finish to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Player who needs to step up<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-player-guid=\"0b808572-ceef-0654-536f-94f4d378edd0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/player\/_\/id\/5251\/evander-kane\">Evander Kane<\/a>. At his best, Kane is a physical power forward who can cause problems in the slot and at the net front, with a shot that can also make him dangerous on the perimeter. That has made him one of the NHL\u2019s most consistent goal scorers over his career, with a run of nine seasons with more than 20.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also what makes his recent scoring drought (six straight games, going back to Game 7 of the second round against the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"64856285-41c1-61e8-4b7f-72a347c8c018\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/van\/vancouver-canucks\">Vancouver Canucks<\/a>) so puzzling.<\/p>\n<p>Kane opened the conference finals with nine shots in his first two games, only to then record four shots combined in Games 3, 4 and 5. He was moved down from the second line to the third line as a result in Game 5, resulting in a significant decline in his work rate compared to his first two postseasons with the Oilers.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s possible Kane could be on the mend going into the Stanley Cup Final. After delivering a check early in Game 6, he skated to the bench and logged only 4:39 of ice time via nine shifts.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hiring Kris Knoblauch could be the latest move in a certain trend<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Moving on from Jay Woodcroft and hiring Kris Knoblauch not only saved the Oilers\u2019 season, but allowed them to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in nearly two decades. Whether the Oilers win the Cup or not, the move raises a debate about the expectations for an NHL coach in his first season with a new team.<\/p>\n<p>This trend started in 2019, when Craig Berube, who had 161 games of NHL head-coaching experience, was made the interim coach of the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"9d2d39d0-ed26-32e1-dcdf-d48e2cef3c90\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/stl\/st-louis-blues\">St. Louis Blues<\/a> \u2026 and won the Stanley Cup in what was his first of five-plus seasons with the club.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline float-r inline-track\">\n<h2 class=\"img-title\">Top stories of the week from <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/redesign\/assets\/img\/logos\/espnplus\/espnplus-editorial_v2@2x.png\" width=\"49\"\/><\/h2>\n<p>Get exclusive access to thousands of premium articles a year from top writers.<br \/>\u2022 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/insider\/story\/_\/id\/40233926\/2024-mlb-mock-draft-kiley-mcdaniel-first-pick-projection-guardians?ex_cid=ESPN-ESPN-Article-Small_In-Line_Box-Evergreen-General_ESPN+_Promotion-11-22-Experiment_General_In-Line_TrackingLink-US-EN&amp;cid=ESPN-ESPN-Article-Small_In-Line_Box-Evergreen-General_ESPN+_Promotion-11-22-Experiment_General_In-Line_TrackingLink-US-EN\">Mock draft: Who goes No. 1 to Guardians? \u00bb<\/a><br \/>\u2022 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nba\/insider\/story\/_\/page\/NBADraft24-40237110\/bronny-james-stayed-2024-nba-draft-ahead-ncaa-withdrawal-deadline-now-whats-next?ex_cid=ESPN-ESPN-Article-Small_In-Line_Box-Evergreen-General_ESPN+_Promotion-11-22-Experiment_General_In-Line_TrackingLink-US-EN&amp;cid=ESPN-ESPN-Article-Small_In-Line_Box-Evergreen-General_ESPN+_Promotion-11-22-Experiment_General_In-Line_TrackingLink-US-EN\">Why Bronny stayed in NBA draft, what\u2019s next? \u00bb<\/a><br \/>\u2022 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nfl\/insider\/story\/_\/id\/40234449\/nfl-contract-negotiations-2024-dak-prescott-jamarr-chase-tee-higgins-ceedee-lamb?ex_cid=ESPN-ESPN-Article-Small_In-Line_Box-Evergreen-General_ESPN+_Promotion-11-22-Experiment_General_In-Line_TrackingLink-US-EN&amp;cid=ESPN-ESPN-Article-Small_In-Line_Box-Evergreen-General_ESPN+_Promotion-11-22-Experiment_General_In-Line_TrackingLink-US-EN\">NFL: Contract deals and who will get paid \u00bb<\/a><br \/><strong><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/espnplus\/news\/?ex_cid=ESPN-ESPN-Article-Small_In-Line_Box-Evergreen-General_ESPN+_Promotion-11-22-Experiment_General_In-Line_TrackingLink-US-EN&amp;cid=ESPN-ESPN-Article-Small_In-Line_Box-Evergreen-General_ESPN+_Promotion-11-22-Experiment_General_In-Line_TrackingLink-US-EN\"> More ESPN+ content \u00bb<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>A year later, veteran coach Rick Bowness was an interim who guided the Dallas Stars to the Cup Final.<\/p>\n<p>In 2021, Dominique Ducharme, an interim coach with no previous NHL head-coaching experience, guided the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"4110452f-e35d-14fe-8fbb-cdb21e269149\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/mtl\/montreal-canadiens\">Montreal Canadiens<\/a> to a Cup Final.<\/p>\n<p>Last year saw Bruce Cassidy, who had 500-plus games of experience, win a title in his first campaign with the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-clubhouse-guid=\"dd8e7d92-918d-4ec1-4e50-c328fc09467a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/team\/_\/name\/vgk\/vegas-golden-knights\">Vegas Golden Knights<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a trend that continues with Knoblauch, whose head-coaching roles had previously been in the AHL and junior hockey.  Knoblauch has the chance to be the first coach since Dan Bylsma in 2009 to win the title in his first year behind an NHL bench.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/wol.com\/2024-stanley-cup-final-panthers-oilers-schedule-stats-more\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ryan S. Clark Close Ryan S. Clark NHL reporter Ryan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN. Kristen Shilton Close Kristen Shilton ESPN NHL reporter Kristen Shilton is a national NHL reporter for ESPN. Jun 2, 2024, 11:05 PM ET From a regular-season batch of 32 teams, to a Stanley Cup playoff field of 16, and now down to two, the NHL\u2019s champion is close to being crowned for 2024. A year after losing in the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":158,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[614,591,615,616,613,617],"class_list":["post-247","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-cup","tag-final","tag-panthersoilers","tag-schedule","tag-stanley","tag-stats"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainaccount.site\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/247","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainaccount.site\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainaccount.site\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainaccount.site\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainaccount.site\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=247"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mainaccount.site\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/247\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainaccount.site\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/158"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainaccount.site\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=247"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainaccount.site\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=247"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainaccount.site\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}