EDMONTON – Mistakes continue to haunt the Florida Panthers.
Three notable ones in Game 6 led directly to goals in a 5-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on Friday, a loss that forces a Game 7 at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS, CBC) and gives the Oilers the opportunity to make history as the first team since the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs to pull off a reverse sweep in the Stanley Cup Final.
“We just have to be sharp every moment on the ice, like every second,” said Florida forward Eetu Luostarinen. “When you are on the ice, you have to be sharp, mentally, physically, you can’t let go for even a second because they are going to make you pay.”
That’s what happened in Game 6. The Panthers faltered and they paid for it.
On the play, Florida did not get the puck in deep from the neutral zone and defenseman Brett Kulak started the transition the other way, catching Florida defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling flat-footed. Ekblad lost Foegele on the backcheck.
“When they get the first goal, obviously, you’re chasing it a little bit,” said Florida forward Carter Verhaeghe.
