Edmonton Oilers fans are back in Sunrise, Fla., as the quest to hoist the Stanley Cup continues for Game 5 of the NHL final on Tuesday.
The Oilers are down 3-1 in the best-of-seven series against the Florida Panthers, after the Oilers won Game 4 on Saturday night in an 8-1 blowout in Edmonton.
The seven-goal Panthers loss tied the second-worst defeat by any team in a playoff game since 2001 and tied the second-worst loss in a Stanley Cup final game ever, but the Panthers are still one win away from claiming the Stanley Cup.
The Oilers have the opportunity to become the first Canadian National Hockey League (NHL) team to win the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.
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.
The only other team that was down 3-0, then came back to win it all, was the Toronto Maple Leafs back in 1942, meaning Edmonton is looking for a comeback not seen in the NHL for 82 years.
Oilers fan Tim Loehr and his family are part of an entourage travelling from Canada’s east coast to Florida for the game.
The Loehrs had planned to go to Florida for a cruise for son Noah’s high school grad trip later this month. After they found out the Oilers would be in the final, they cancelled their tickets and rebook them for a week earlier, in the hopes that a Game 5 would happen.
Loehr, who grew up in Sherwood Park, Alta., is a lifelong Oilers fan, but another family travelling with them for the game from Newfoundland, is not.
“They’re not Oilers fans, but they said it’s a once in a lifetime chance to see [Connor] McDavid play,” Loehr said.
The chance to watch Game 5 “means a lot,” said Loehr, who still believes the Oilers can win the Cup.
“Force the Game 6 back in Edmonton and then anything can happen,” he said.
“If they can get a couple early goals on the Broski [Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovksy] Tuesday, I feel like it’s going to be going to seven.”
The game starts at 6 p.m. MT, and will be broadcast on CBC.
Watch parties in Edmonton include the Ford Tailgate Party in Ice District Plaza and the Scotiabank Fan Park, which is free admission and open to fans of all ages.
CBC Edmonton will be at the Amerant Bank Arena with content from Game 5 fever on TikTok, @cbcedmonton.