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Greg Wyshynski, ESPNJun 20, 2024, 09:20 PM ET
CloseGreg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.
EDMONTON — Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice believes the pressure in the Stanley Cup Final has “evened out” now that the Edmonton Oilers have rallied to force a Game 6.
The Panthers took a 3-0 series lead before Edmonton won the last two games, thanks in part to back-to-back four-point performances by star Connor McDavid. But while Florida has been “dragged back to Alberta,” as McDavid memorably put it, Maurice believes the Oilers now have their share of the pressure having gotten back into the series.
“When you have nothing to lose, there’s a freedom to that. When you have something to protect, sometimes you feel the pressure to protect it,” said Maurice on Thursday. “So there’s an evening out in this series now. I think the pressure is closer [between us].”
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The Panthers have lost twice with the Stanley Cup in the building. It’ll be there again at Rogers Place on Friday, but Maurice believes the Oilers are going to start to sense that expectation to win it, too.
“The stake is there now more for both teams, where it was just for us,” he said. “The goal is closer now for them and now that part evens out, I believe.”
The Panthers arrived back in Edmonton on Thursday having lost Game 5 by a 5-3 score, but having dominated that game for long stretches, including getting over 80% of the shot attempts in the final two periods. Maurice said a lot of that was score effects, as Florida trailed in the game 4-1. He said he actually liked his team’s opening period more than the follow 40 minutes.
What that adds up to is an effort that the Panthers can build on for Game 6, despite losing a second straight game to McDavid and the Oilers.
“We are that team. I mean, we’ve been that team all year,” said forward Matthew Tkachuk of his team’s dominant 5-on-5 play. “We had a little bit of a lapse in Game 4 here for a period and a half. But for the most part, we’ve been…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/40397559/oilers-now-pressure-too
Author : Greg Wyshynski
Publish date : 2024-06-21 02:34:21
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