Oilers fans in Florida and at home in Edmonton celebrated a 5-3 win over the Panthers in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, forcing a Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final on home ice.
The Oilers are now down 3-2 in the best-of-seven series against the Florida Panthers, their second win in a row 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 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 rebooked 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 [Panthers goalie Sergei] Bobrovksy Tuesday, I feel like it’s going to be going to seven.”
Game 6 is Friday night in Edmonton at 6 MT.
Montreal Canadiens fan Wayne Ryan and his family gave their Habs jerseys a break to don Oilers gear for Game 5 in Florida. Son Luke Ryan, 12, arrived at Amerant Bank Arena with his Connor McDavid jersey, a Christmas gift.
“He’s a McDavid fan, but the Canadiens is his team,” Ryan said.
“We are cheering for the Oilers,” Ryan said. “We want the Cup to come back to Canada.”
Panthers fans Scott Patch and his son Alex Patch, 11, travelled from San Diego for the chance to watch history happen.
“We’re here at the moment, and that’s a memory that we’re gonna remember for Panther history,” Alex said.
While cheering for the Panthers, the Patch family will also be admiring McDavid and the Oilers.
“He’s probably the best player in the NHL,” Scott Patch said. “I hate to say that, but he probably is, right? He’s marquee.
“And [Evan] Bouchard, the frontline of the Oilers is an all star, right? If you’re going to pick five players to go and represent hockey, you’d probably pick that five.”
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.