Aleksander Barkov is the first Finnish-born captain to hoist the Stanley Cup in its 132-year history! After 30 years and four tedious attempts this time around, Florida have done it, taking their first trophy, avenging their defeat a season ago to Vegas. Congratulations once again to the Panthers!
That does it for our live coverage of a memorable Game 7, thanks to all of you for following along with us! Wherever you are, good morning, afternoon and goodnight! You can read a full report here:
Gary Bettman is talking, which is always an invitation to boo as much as possible, regardless of what he’s saying.
But wait, the Conn Smythe trophy goes to Connor McDavid! Isn’t he on the losing team? You don’t see that often! It’s for the entity of the playoffs of course. How about that?
The players line up and shake hands as the Cup gets set to enter. McDavid looks on as do the other Oilers, knowing just how close they came to flipping this series. But it was not to be – Canada is still searching for a Stanley Cup win, over 30 years since the Canadiens beat the Kings in 1993.
What a finish! Edmonton put together a series of chances in the final ten minutes, but they could not complete a historic Cup Final comeback. Florida, with Canada against them, with the sports world against them, are able to flip their would-be historic collapse to win their maiden title! Bobrovsky, destroyed for three-straight games, rebounds to carry Florida to the win of a lifetime!
Nurse a shot – kick save Bobrovsky! More pressure from Edmonton - shot from Bouchard – save! Bobrovsky was down and lost his stick but Florida cleared the zone! Icing called.
Bouchard a huge shot, save Bobrovsky! Now the puck is lose – McDavid has the puck, makes a move, but the puck gets away! Now Hyman has an open net but he can’t get a stick on it! How did Edmonton not score?!
You could sense Edmonton were figuring out Florida and they nearly did! the Panthers are holding on!
The Oilers win yet another face off in the Florida zone and control the puck, but a shot is blocked and Rheinhart comes back the other way, making hay v two defenders! Edmonton survive and the clock continues to tick!
Edmonton are having some success in the Panthers zone, digging out pucks and cycling the puck, but there’s no real breakthrough yet. We’re halfway through the third – they better hurry up!
Edmonton win a face off and put on some possession pressure, with Draisaitl active in the Florida zone and with some space. But there’s no serious threat at the end of the flurry.
McDavid is stripped of the puck before he gets going, and the Oilers powerhouse continues to be held in check. Now Foegele with a shot and Bobrovsky, steady as she goes, has yet another save. He holds on and play stops.
The clock is ticking on the Oilers series comeback chances.
Edmont’s historic penalty kill has a short handed break but Brown’s shot is wide! Now at the end of the man-advantage, Bennett takes a lose puck and fires it off the chest of Skinner! He catches the rebound and holds on!
Bennett a shot for Florida – high and wide. Play is free-flowing to start the third, up and down. Now a turnover by Montour in the Panthers zone but nobody there to take advantage for Edmonton.
Now we have a high sticking call on Edmonton! Eetu Luostarinen takes a stick to the face and Bouchard heads off for two minutes – in the regular season it could have been more.
Full credit to Florida. They have turned the narrative on its head tonight, proving yet again that professional athletes have shorter memories than media and fans who fuss over what has happened instead of what needs to be done. The Panthers have returned to their smothering ways, rendering the Oliers offensive lifeblood useless through two periods.
I’m a Canadian living in Brisbane and my brother is visiting from Edmonton. Thanks to the lovely people at the Stones Corner Hotel here in Brisbane, they tuned their biggest screen to Game 7 just for us.
Robb Hare says:
We’re here because nobody can touch the Guardian when it comes to live-blogging sports. Plus this way we don’t have to listen to “hockey commentator voice” all night.
Robb can’t hear my chesterfield commentating, lucky for him.
Where’s Connor McDavid? Where’s Leon Draisaitl? McDavid set a record for assists in a postseason, passing Wayne Gretzky. But tonight? Nothing going on. Draisaitl hasn’t scored a goal in this series and tonight? Nothing going on. The tandem have scored over 200 regular season points, but if Game 7 ends like this, Oilers fans are going to have questions about where their biggest guns were when the chips were down.
Florida turns it over in their zone but Janmark can’t make anything of the opportunity. Then Florida come back with a shot from Kulikov that Brobovsky smothers – he holds on and play pauses.
Sam Reinhart’s shot beats Skinner! It’s his first point since the first three games of this series! It comes off a defensive miscue that allows a shot that seemed relatively harmless to somehow bounce off Skinner’s glove!
Edmonton control the puck in the Florida puck for well over a minute but Bobrovsky easily smothers the main chance by Ekholm, a slap shot from the point.
Edmonton keep possession after the penalty but no real chances for the Oilers. McDavid pushes a shot into Bobrovsky’s glove as we head into a television timeout.
Edmonton cycle the puck, while Florida’s Stenlund loses his stick! Tense moments for Florida – Draisaitl, who has also been quiet, tips the puck towards the net but Bobrovsky has it and covers up.
Now Bouchard shoots from the point as the penalty expires – glove save Bobrovsky! And that’s it for Edmonton who fail to score with the man advantage! The Panthers net minder is holding up his end of the bargain tonight!
