Honking and cheers rung throughout downtown Edmonton well into Saturday night, as Oilers fans jubilated after their team delivered a statement victory.
The Oilers, facing elimination and a potential sweep, thumped the Florida Panthers 8-1 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final. The series now heads back to Sunrise, Fla., for Game 5 on Tuesday.
“It’s absolutely amazing,” said Beckie Sparrow, who wore a blue No. 93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins jersey. “I was here in 2006. I think we’re going to go all the way.”
Edmonton entered Saturday’s game down 3-0 in the best-of-seven series. They had struggled to solve Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and the Panthers seemed to capitalize on any mistake the Oilers made.
But the Oilers came out fiery and unleashed an offensive blitz. After the fifth goal, Panthers coach Paul Maurice pulled Bobrovsky.
Multiple Oilers showed up on the score sheet, including Leon Draisaitl, who assisted on two goals — his first points in the final.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid potted a goal and assisted on three others, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record for most assists in a single post-season in the process. McDavid now has 32 assists in this year’s playoffs.
“I’m just happy we didn’t get swept. Let’s try to do a reverse sweep and try to win the Stanley Cup in Game 7,” said Brayden DiLullo outside Ice District after Game 4, over loud music and cheers from passersby.
Saturday’s win was the first step toward a potentially historic rally. The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs are the only team to win the Stanley Cup after losing the first three games of the final.
Ben Gardiner, a Calgary resident, made the 280-kilometre trek Saturday to watch Game 4 in Edmonton. While donning an Oilers jersey, he admitted to being a Calgary Flames fan, but jumped on the Oilers bandwagon during their playoff run because of Canadian pride.
The CBC’s Lauren Fink was at Ice District for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final and has Edmonton Oilers fan reaction to the team’s 8-1 win.
“Alberta needs this. It’s great energy,” Gardiner said.
His message to the Oilers is to use the momentum.
“Look at the energy. The energy of the team, the energy out here in the plaza — it’s incredible,” he said. “They just have to build off that and keep firing pucks to the net.”
The Oilers trail 3-1 in the series. They will try to stave off the Panthers once again from clinching their first ever Stanley Cup in Florida in Game 5.
Puck-drop is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. MT.