Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers lost 5-1 to the Florida Panthers in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday. The Panthers won their second straight championship with a strong team effort. Florida’s strong defense and quick forecheck made it hard for the Oilers to create chances.
McDavid spoke honestly after the game and said the Panthers’ forecheck was the main problem:
“Obviously their forecheck was great. They tilted the rink, they were able to stay on top of us all over the place. Never really able to generate any momentum up the ice.”
Florida led 2-0 after the first period with goals from Sam Reinhart and Matthew Tkachuk. Reinhart scored again in the second period to make it 3-0. He added two more empty-net goals in the third period to complete his four-goal game. Vasily Podkolzin scored Edmonton’s only goal late in the third period while Stuart Skinner made 20 saves for the Oilers.
McDavid admitted the Oilers could not find new ways to attack:
“We kept trying the same thing over and over again, just banging our heads against the wall. Credit to them, they played well.”
Connor McDavid knew the challenge in Game 6, but Oilers still fell short
Before Game 6, Connor McDavid knew what the Oilers needed to do. They were down 3-2 in the series after losing Game 5 at home, and the team faced elimination in Florida.
At the pregame press conference, McDavid said the Oilers needed to work their way out of it:
“For whatever reason, our group doesn’t like to make it easy on ourselves. We’ve put ourselves in another difficult spot and it’s our job to work our way out of it. I would expect that tomorrow.”
In Game 6, the Oilers simply could not stop the Panthers. Florida played a strong game, and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky perfectly contained the Oilers’ offense.
In the press conference, McDavid mentioned that the goal was to win as a team:
“I think everybody has another level, myself included.”
But from the start of the game, Connor McDavid and Co. struggled. Something was missing, and it was clear from their play that they failed to reach their next level.
Now, they will have the summer to ponder over their misfortune and bring in changes for next season as they look to finally get over the hump.
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Edited by Veer Badani
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