The Panthers narrowly avoided a monumental collapse in the Stanley Cup Final, edging out the Oilers 2-1 in Game 7 at Sunrise, Fla., on Monday.
Despite initially leading the series 3-0, the Panthers saw the Oilers rally to force a decisive Game 7, marking the first time since the 1945 Red Wings that a team had pushed a series to seven games after trailing 0-3. However, the Oilers’ comeback bid ultimately fell short.
In a losing effort, Connor McDavid was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, having led the postseason in scoring with eight goals and 34 assists over 24 games. McDavid set a record for the most assists in a single playoffs, narrowly missing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time points record by five points, despite being held scoreless in Games 6 and 7 of the Final. The award recognizes performance across the entire playoffs, not just the Final.
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Carter Verhaeghe opened the scoring for Game 7 in the first period, assisted by former Penguin Evan Rodrigues. The Oilers responded with a goal from Mattias Janmark in the second period, assisted by former Penguins defenseman Cody Ceci. Sam Reinhart’s second-period goal proved to be the game-winner, with former Penguins defenseman Dmitry Kulikov contributing a secondary assist.
Reflecting on the victory, Rodrigues, who finished the postseason with seven goals and seven assists in 23 games, shared, “They say it’s the hardest trophy in sports to win, and it was even harder than I imagined. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.” He spoke with South Florida news station alongside his sons Grayson and Noah, with Grayson expressing, “my dreams came true.”
Looking ahead, with the Stanley Cup awarded, the NHL’s first buyout window opens in 48 hours. The draft is scheduled for June 28-29 in Las Vegas, followed by the opening of free agency on July 1.
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