A gripping new six-part docuseries spotlighting life in the NHL debuts Thursday, October 4 on Amazon Prime Video. "Faceoff: Inside the NHL" peels back the curtain on the lives of the incredible athletes behind the goals, assists and saves.
Our Short Shifts team will recap each episode of the series, bringing you our favorite moments and highlights from the show.
Episode 6: “Cup or Bust Part II”
Players featured: Connor McDavid and Matthew Tkachuk
Episode synopsis: Stakes couldn’t be higher during the Stanley Cup Final in the last episode of the series. Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is hoping to cement his career legacy as Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk hopes to cement his family legacy.
Funniest moment: Even NHL players make their dad’s pick up the tab. Before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Brady Tkachuk took full advantage of having his dad, Keith Tkachuk, around to buy a round. “Hey, you got this one? Alright, thank you,” Brady says to his father and pats his arm. “He’s got the first one,” Brady then tells the cashiers.
Moving moments: Once the final horn sounded, the Tkachuk family were brought to tears as they celebrated Matthew winning the family’s first Stanley Cup. “You won the childhood dream,” Brady told his brother when they made it down to the ice to celebrate. “I’m so proud of you, man…I cried,” Keith said as he hugged Matthew.
On the flip side, the show revisits the heartbreak of the Oilers that began episode 5. McDavid decides to not go out on the ice to accept the Conn Smythe trophy and to be with his team. The locker room is overcome with emotion and frustration as they try to come to terms with the loss. “There is nothing that is going to make this feel better,” Zach Hyman tells his teammates. “…I know we are going to be back…I know it in my f------ heart. Nothing is going to make us feel better, this is the f------ worst feeling in the world.”
Quotable: Despite the Panthers giving up a three-game lead to the Oilers, Tkachuk was excited to be playing in a Game 7. “You dream about this. I never dreamed about winning the Cup in Game 4 or 5 or 6 or scoring the big goal or making the big play in those games. It was always my brother and I playing mini hockey downstairs or street hockey outside and it was Game 7. Always. Each and every single time.”
After a heartbreaking loss, McDavid was able to put it into perspective. “There was a lot of pain in that room, a lot of… I can’t even explain it to you. I don’t think the average person, or the average fan understand those moments. You’ve just gone through months and months and months of grinding and working and all these ups and downs and peaks and valleys. One day when we do lift that trophy it will be something I look back on and point to and say, ‘this is what made it all worth it.’”
This is Hockey Life: Tkachuk describes his injury during Game 3 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers forward originally thought it was just a minor rib injury until he got his CT scans back. He had a fractured sternum, dislocated SC joint and spasm muscles in his neck to his head. The Panthers trainers were adamant he wouldn’t play and Tkachuk was adamant he would play. His brother had to help get him out of bed the morning of the next game. By the end of Game 4, Tkachuk admits he hit his breaking point and couldn’t play any longer.
