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Greg Wyshynski, ESPNJun 16, 2024, 01:00 AM ET
CloseGreg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.
EDMONTON, Alberta — The Florida Panthers said their blowout loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final was a learning experience.
What a harsh education it was: Losing 8-1 on Saturday night, watching their star goaltender get pulled, and squandering a chance to win the Cup in a series sweep.
“We either win or we learn,” captain Aleksander Barkov said. “It only counts as one win. It doesn’t matter how much you lose — whether it’s 2-1 or 8-1. Obviously, we need to bounce back. We need to recover now and think about the next one.”
The Panthers had not been beaten that emphatically all postseason. In fact, the Oilers made NHL history in the win, tying the 1918 Vancouver Millionaires for the largest margin of victory when facing elimination in Stanley Cup Final. They were one goal away from the tying the largest margin of victory in Stanley Cup Final history, a record eight goals set by the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Minnesota North Stars in 1991.
Florida coach Paul Maurice downplayed the blowout loss.
“I’ll fire up at least once cliche for you: We came into Edmonton to get a split and we got what we needed,” he said. “But most cliches have some merit to it. In general, things will be far more extreme outside your room than inside it. So at 3-0 (in the series), we’re not sitting there, getting the engravers out. We lost the game tonight.”
Edmonton couldn’t have scripted a bigger reversal of fortune after three straight losses.
Their star center, Connor McDavid, had a four-point night, setting an NHL record for most assists in a single postseason (32) in the process. His 38 points are fifth all-time in a single postseason.
Their other standout offensive players hit the score sheet for the first time in the series, as Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard all recorded their first points against the Panthers. The Oilers power play…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/40361461/leaving-stanley-cup-panthers-learn-loss
Author : Greg Wyshynski
Publish date : 2024-06-16 06:14:17
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