The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers will play Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, on Monday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS, CBC).
The Oilers pushed the series to the limit by winning the past three games, including a 5-1 win at home in Game 6 on Friday.
“I’m excited. I want to get it going for sure, get on the ice Monday,” Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. “It’s a dream come true to be in this position and I can’t be more proud of this group.”
It will be the 18th Game 7 in Stanley Cup Final history since the NHL moved to a best-of-7 format in 1939; home teams are 12-5. The last Game 7 of the Cup Final was in 2019, when the St. Louis Blues defeated the Boston Bruins 4-1 on the road. That marked the third straight time the road team was victorious in Game 7 of the Cup Final; the Pittsburgh Penguins won 2-1 at the Detroit Red Wings in 2009 and the Bruins won 4-0 at the Vancouver Canucks in 2011.
Florida (52-24-6), the No. 1 seed from the Atlantic Division, defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in the first round, Boston in six games in the second round and the New York Rangers in six games in the Eastern Conference Final.
The Panthers, who are 2-1 in Game 7s, including 0-1 at home, have never won the Stanley Cup.
“I think we’re fine,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said. “Obviously, we had three match points, but Game 7, [that’s] everyone’s dream and that’s why we need to be ready for the Game 7.”
Forward Vladimir Tarasenko has played the most Game 7s among Florida skaters, going 4-1 with two points (one goal, one assist), including in the 2019 Cup Final with St. Louis. Forward Matthew Tkachuk (one goal, two assists) and defenseman Brandon Montour (two goals, one assist) each is 2-0.
Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is 1-0, making 33 saves in Game 7 against the Bruins in the first round last season. Backup Anthony Stolarz has not played a Game 7.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice is 4-0 in Game 7s.
“I think we’re a confident group,” Florida forward Carter Verhaeghe said. “They’re here for a reason, we’re here for a reason and, I mean, it’s the Stanley Cup Final. They’re a really good team and it’s for us to come back and respond next game.”
Edmonton (49-27-6) the No. 2 seed in the Pacific Division, defeated the Los Angeles Kings in five games in the first round and Vancouver in seven games in the second round before eliminating the Dallas Stars in six games in the Western Conference Final.
Edmonton forward Corey Perry has played 10 Game 7s (5-5), with six points (four goals, two assists) in those games. Forward Zach Hyman has played five (2-3, one goal), and forward Evander Kane has played four (4-0, one assist). Centers Connor McDavid (one goal, one assist) and Leon Draisaitl (two assists) each has played three Game 7s (2-1).
Stuart Skinner made 15 saves in a 3-2 win at the Canucks in the second round, his only appearance in a Game 7. Backup Calvin Pickard has never played a Game 7.
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch is 1-0 in Game 7.
“That’s why sports is amazing because the unthinkable can happen,” Hyman said. “We’re in a spot where we thought it can happen when I guess nobody else believed that it could. We’ve got an opportunity now and that’s all you can ask for.”
