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Greg Wyshynski, ESPNJun 14, 2024, 01:46 PM ET
CloseGreg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.
EDMONTON — History says the Florida Panthers most likely wrapped up the Stanley Cup by winning Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers, taking a 3-0 series lead.
Just don’t tell that to the Florida Panthers
“We don’t look at that stuff. You guys do. I’m sure a lot of other people do, but we don’t,” said winger Matthew Tkachuk on Friday.
The Panthers are seeking their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, and the odds are in their favor: Teams that go up 3-0 in a best-of-7 Stanley Cup Final have won 27 of 28 series. The only exception was in 1942, when the Toronto Maple Leafs rallied to defeat the Detroit Red Wings.
Team that trail 3-0 in a series have avoided a sweep just eight times. The most recent two examples were the Montreal Canadiens winning Game 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021 and the New York Rangers doing the same against the Los Angeles Kings in 2014.
Even if the Oilers manage to send the series back to South Florida with a Game 4 win, only three teams in NHL history have ever forced a Game 6 after being down 3-0 in the Stanley Cup Final.
Tkachuk said the Panthers are ignoring that history.
“We’ve done such a good job of having that one game, simple mindset. Win your first period. Win your first few shifts. It’s all you’ve got to do tomorrow,” he said of Saturday night’s Game 4. “It’s really calm, kind of chill and relaxed group today. We’ll use that to our advantage.”
The Panthers have played a masterful defensive series, not allowing a goal by any of the Oilers’ top five scorers, including Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. They’ve blanked Edmonton’s heralded power play — in the teams’ five meetings this season, the Oilers are now 0-for-22 against the Florida penalty kill.
After the Game 3 loss McDavid said that the Oilers are still trying to find ways to break through that defense.
“We haven’t beat them in three games. We’ve had stretches that are good,…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/40350019/panthers-not-assuming-anything-3-0-lead
Author : Greg Wyshynski
Publish date : 2024-06-14 18:55:43
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