Connor McDavid was in the midst of a hockey nightmare.
The superstar captainB次元官网网址檚 Edmonton Oilers B次元官网网址� among the Stanley Cup favourites in training camp B次元官网网址� had just suffered another demoralizing loss.
The last-place, torn-down-to-the-studs San Jose Sharks were celebrating a 3-2 victory down the hall that brought the rebuilding club even on points with McDavidB次元官网网址檚 confused and frustrated group.
Edmonton was in a tailspin. It was Nov. 9, 2023. There were a boatload of questions and few, if any, answers.
Seven months later, McDavid and his teammates B次元官网网址� somehow B次元官网网址� sit four wins from the Stanley Cup.
The Oilers open the title series Saturday against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Arena, the culmination of a roller-coaster campaign that was nearly lost a month into the schedule.
B次元官网网址淥ur group always believed that we were a good team,B次元官网网址� McDavid said Friday. B次元官网网址淓ven when things werenB次元官网网址檛 going well, I think we always believed that if we just stuck with things we were going to turn it around.
B次元官网网址淲hen youB次元官网网址檙e going through it, obviously it sucks and it doesnB次元官网网址檛 feel like that. But our group came together.B次元官网网址�
The Oilers are looking to win their sixth Cup B次元官网网址� and first since 1990 B次元官网网址� after last making the championship showdown in 2006 when they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 exciting,B次元官网网址� Edmonton winger Zach Hyman said. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e very close to your dream, but at the same time, youB次元官网网址檙e far away. You have to win a series against a really good team.B次元官网网址�
The Panthers B次元官网网址� a league backwater for more than two decades B次元官网网址� are making their second consecutive appearance in the final after falling to the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1 a year ago. FloridaB次元官网网址檚 only other four-round spring came in 1996 when the Colorado Avalanche secured their first Cup.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 kind of like a Christmas Eve feeling right now,B次元官网网址� Florida winger Matthew Tkachuk said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a long week trying to keep your mind off it as much as possible, and just enjoy the warm weather outside as much as you can, but itB次元官网网址檚 hard not to think about Game 1.B次元官网网址�
A matchup that features the furthest distance between cities in the final in league history at 4,089 kilometres, the series will be one of contrasts.
Committed to defence more so than ever before in the McDavid and Leon Draisaitl era, the Oilers have a high-flying offence that downed the Los Angeles Kings in the first round before having to come back from series deficits to defeat the Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars for the Western Conference crown.
That attack includes the first four names in post-season scoring with McDavid, Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins topping the list, along with Hyman, who leads in goals.
It took a while for the Oilers to figure things out.
B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e not going to go through the playoffs and win 16 games winning 5-0 every game,B次元官网网址� Draisailt said. B次元官网网址淲e were young kids coming in and the weight of the world on our shoulders, it felt like. Everyone expected us to do everything. We werenB次元官网网址檛 ready to understand what it really takes to win. When youB次元官网网址檙e 19, 20, 21 years old, thatB次元官网网址檚 just a fact.
B次元官网网址淪ometimes it takes a little longer.B次元官网网址�
The Panthers, meanwhile, are a tough, four-line juggernaut built from Sergei BobrovskyB次元官网网址檚 net out that rolled through the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins before dispatching the PresidentsB次元官网网址� Trophy-winning New York Rangers.
Tkachuk, who is familiar to Edmonton fans from his six seasons with the Calgary Flames, and captain Aleksander Barkov pace a balanced attack.
Florida head coach Paul Maurice will take part in his third final still in search of a first Cup. His opposite, rookie bench boss Kris Knoblauch, took over in November with Edmonton sitting 31st in the standings at 3-9-1.
The OilersB次元官网网址� special teams are a big reason theyB次元官网网址檙e four victories from sipping from the silver mug. A lethal power play came through late against the Stars, while a middle-of-the-pack penalty kill in the regular season hasnB次元官网网址檛 allowed a goal in its last 28 short-handed chances B次元官网网址� a stretch of 10 games.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e a great team,B次元官网网址� Tkachuk said. B次元官网网址淕ot to watch some of their games against Dallas. They played really well and ultimately deserved to win the West.
B次元官网网址淚t should make for a great final.B次元官网网址�
Edmonton is also carrying the weight of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 collective Cup drought, which stands at 30 years since the Montreal Canadiens last raised the glistening trophy in 1993. The Canucks (twice), Oilers and Calgary Flames have all lost the final in seven games in the years since, while the Ottawa Senators and Canadiens also got agonizingly close.
McDavid and his group felt about as far away from this moment as the journey from Edmonton to South Florida back in November.
Now they can almost taste it.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been good for our group to have gone through that,B次元官网网址� McDavid said. B次元官网网址淵ou find out what your groupB次元官网网址檚 made. We showed that we can go through adversity together and stick together.
B次元官网网址淎nd come out the other side.B次元官网网址�
The final climb towards hockey immortality begins Saturday.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
