Just to jog your memory, the Oilers managed to tie it 3-3 after being down 0-3 in the Stanley Cup finals, which is straight out of a Hollywood script! It's got some David and Goliath vibes going on. So let's see if the Goliath, in this case, the Florida Panthers, can reclaim their pride.
The Edmonton Oilers are simply not sure what it's like to back down. With Stuart Skinner in goal with 283 saves and a save percentage of 91.6 just last month! Talk about standing unfazed in the face of a barrage. On the other side of the rink, we have Sergei Bobrovsky, and Anthony Stolarz for the Panthers, who have been steadily blocking pucks for the team.
The Oilers can boast Connor McDavid, who's been Tony Hawk on ice with a stellar 32 goals and 105 assists this season. And let's not forget Evan Bouchard, who's scored the 1 goal and 11 assists for the last month. Then there's Zach Hyman, an absolute beast, who's made an impressive 58 goals and 24 assists this season.
On the Panthers' side, Sam Bennett, sporting a balanced attack with 5 goals and 5 assists last month. Aleksander Barkov though has been the Panthers' go-to player with 21 goals and a massive 59 assists. And then you have Matthew Tkachuk, who's fixing holes in the opponents' nets with his 27 goals and 63 assists this season.
But history speaks volumes, folks. The Oilers have a slight edge over the Panthers with their recent victories. In the last 5 games between the teams, the Oilers have won 3 proud times. Just like you recall your ex-girlfriend's aggrieved eye-roll, you should also remember the regular season records. The Oilers are cruising along with 49 wins, 6 losses in overtime, and 27 losses, inching close to the Panthers' 52 victories, but with 6 overtime losses and 24 deceits.
Now isn't it funny how recent results mirror your late-night internet search history- you simply can't deny it. Both Edmonton and Florida have had an ice-tango that's been swinging in favor of the Oilers lately.
Let me roll up my prediction magic and... given the Oilers' comeback spirit, recent victories against the Panthers, and the leading edge in performance by their players and goalkeeper, we might see a surprise outcome.
Albert’s Prediction: Edmonton Oilers by 2