FORT LAUDERDALE – It all comes down to this.
With a chance at immortality on the line for both teams, the Florida Panthers will host the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday.
After the Panthers took a 3-0 series lead, the Oilers went on their own streak to make it 3-3.
But with just one game left, you can throw all those games out the window.
“We won three; they won three,” Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said. “Most teams when you lose three [in a row] in a playoff series, you don’t have a chance at another game. Somehow both of us have an opportunity still. Very exciting. Leave it all out there. Desperation on both sides. It’s been a very even series. It all comes down to this.”
GAME 7 STATS
- The Panthers own a 2-1 record in Game 7s.
- Florida’s last appearance in a Game 7 was a 4-3 overtime win against the Boston Bruins in the 2023 Eastern Conference First Round.
- The Panthers are the 18th different franchise in NHL history to play a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final.
- The Panthers are trying to become just the fourth franchise to win its first Stanley Cup in a Game 7.
- Vladimir Tarasenko leads all Panthers with five career Game 7s. In those games, his teams own a 4-1 record.
- Vladimir Tarasenko is the only player on either team to have previously played in a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
- Paul Maurice owns a 4-0 record in four career Game 7s behind the bench.
- Home teams own a 12-5 record in the past 17 Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Final.
- Teams that score first in Game 7 of a Stanley Cup Final have gone 12-5, including eight straight wins dating back to 1994.
- Of the 17 all-time Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Final, seven have been decided by one goal.
- Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final has only ever gone to overtime twice, with the home team coming out on top each time. The last time this occurred was in 1954.
GAME 7 QUOTES
“Tomorrow we have one thing on our mind: to play our best game. That’s about it. We have an unbelievable opportunity to win the Cup, but our mindset is to play our best game starting from the first shift. That’s about it. That’s all we think about.” – Aleksander Barkov
"It comes down to one game. The rest is history. We get this win, the rest doesn't matter." – Brandon Montour
“I think the puck drops and momentum changes over the course of the game, but more so even through Game 7s. [It’s] the finality of it. Nobody’s practicing tomorrow. There’s no video tomorrow. There’s this kind of clean slate because both teams have fought real hard to get to the very end.” – Paul Maurice
“All that we’re thinking about is coming to the rink tomorrow and trying to win that first shift, win your first period. Come out and play as fast and as physical was we possibly can to start the game because we know that makes us successful. We’re more excited for that part and [to play] in front of our home fans, which is so incredibly crucial for us.” – Matthew Tkachuk
For tickets to Game 7, click HERE.
