It’s 2024 all over again as hockey fans prepare for the first Stanley Cup rematch in 15 years. The Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers have once again made it within touching distance of the cup, and this time, the Oilers sound more confident than ever. “It sure feels a little bit more normal, you know? Just been kind of status quo,” said Connor McDavid, after beating the Dallas Stars.
“It’s been fun to be a part of, hasn’t been as emotional, has been very direct, and you know? Smooth and steady,” added McDavid. So as the defending champions, the puck is in the Panthers’ zone. However, Matthew Tkachuk, who leads the Cats in the GameScore leaderboard, feels his team has what it takes to deal with their now-familiar Cup rivals for the ultimate NHL prize.
During his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Tkachuk refuted the idea of getting in the Oilers players’ heads, especially goaltender Stuart Skinner, who has arguably had the biggest turnaround of the playoffs. “They’ve got the experience over the last few years, where you know? You’re not going to really do a whole lot that’s gonna mentally get in their head,” said the Stanley Cup winner.
Last year’s cup final was a super dramatic affair, with the Panthers going 3-0 up, only for the Oilers to adjust and reel them back in. In fact, Edmonton dragged Florida all the way to Game 7 before narrowly losing 2-1 on that fateful night. So Tkachuk revealed that the Panthers have once again prepared for a war of attrition. “I think you just have to keep sustaining pressure and shots and offense and continued physicality,” he told Pat McAfee and Co.
Image via Facebook/ Matthew Tkachuk
“Our team’s mindset is just to try to wear them down… Wear them down enough where that Game 7, you could win,” explained Tkachuk. The 27-year-old also had a plan for Stuart Skinner, where he didn’t just plan to overwhelm Skinner with shots, but put enough traffic so he wouldn’t see them coming. Yet, all of this is easier said than done.
The Edmonton Oilers believe the Stanley Cup is theirs this time
There’s no denying that Matthew Tkachuk is a true leader. If the alternate captain sitting atop the stars like Sam Bennett and captain Aleksander Barkov in the GameScore stat sheet isn’t proof enough, then the Panthers themselves have admitted it time and again. “He’s tearing it up right now, but I think the whole season, whether he’s on the scoresheet or not, he’s been a key player for us,” Barkov said last year in February.
And that hasn’t changed this year. Matthew Tkachuk is tied for the most playoff assists with Barkov and tied for second in points with Sam Bennett. Safe to say, he can help guide the Panthers to glory once again. However, with that out of the way, this isn’t the same Edmonton Oilers as last year’s Stanley Cup finals. The Oilers didn’t just have a smooth journey; they played better.
After all, the numbers don’t lie. The Edmonton Oilers may have looked shaky against the LA Kings in Games 1 and 2, but since then have put on a dominant 12-2 run against two of this year’s top teams. In fact, they’ve reached this year’s Stanley Cup final in 16 games. That’s one less than the Cats and two less than their 2024 run. And then there’s Connor McDavid.
Jun 10, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) skates with the puck against Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) during the third period in game two of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
The Oilers captain won the Conn Smythe Trophy last year and remains the favorite for this year too. With 26 points in his bag, McDavid sits atop the league. For comparison, Barkov has 17 points, while Tkachuk and Bennett have 16 each. And while the Panthers’ strategy may be to keep the Oilers under constant pressure, it’s in moments like these that McDavid has shone the most in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Remember McDavid’s huge 4-point performance (1 goal, 3 assists) in their Game 1 defeat against the Kings? You could argue that was the spark that ignited the dominance that followed from Game 3 onwards. So while Matthew Tkachuk and the Panthers may have a plan, the Oilers will fight until the final buzzer of their final clash.
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