Connor McDavid was in the midst of a hockey nightmare.
The superstar captain91裸聊视频檚 Edmonton Oilers 91裸聊视频� among the Stanley Cup favourites in training camp 91裸聊视频� had just suffered another demoralizing loss.
The last-place, torn-down-to-the-studs San Jose Sharks were celebrating a 3-2 victory down the hall that brought the rebuilding club even on points with McDavid91裸聊视频檚 confused and frustrated group.
Edmonton was in a tailspin. It was Nov. 9, 2023. There were a boatload of questions and few, if any, answers.
Seven months later, McDavid and his teammates 91裸聊视频� somehow 91裸聊视频� sit four wins from the Stanley Cup.
The Oilers open the title series Saturday against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Arena, the culmination of a roller-coaster campaign that was nearly lost a month into the schedule.
91裸聊视频淥ur group always believed that we were a good team,91裸聊视频� McDavid said Friday. 91裸聊视频淓ven when things weren91裸聊视频檛 going well, I think we always believed that if we just stuck with things we were going to turn it around.
91裸聊视频淲hen you91裸聊视频檙e going through it, obviously it sucks and it doesn91裸聊视频檛 feel like that. But our group came together.91裸聊视频�
The Oilers are looking to win their sixth Cup 91裸聊视频� and first since 1990 91裸聊视频� after last making the championship showdown in 2006 when they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 exciting,91裸聊视频� Edmonton winger Zach Hyman said. 91裸聊视频淵ou91裸聊视频檙e very close to your dream, but at the same time, you91裸聊视频檙e far away. You have to win a series against a really good team.91裸聊视频�
The Panthers 91裸聊视频� a league backwater for more than two decades 91裸聊视频� are making their second consecutive appearance in the final after falling to the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1 a year ago. Florida91裸聊视频檚 only other four-round spring came in 1996 when the Colorado Avalanche secured their first Cup.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 kind of like a Christmas Eve feeling right now,91裸聊视频� Florida winger Matthew Tkachuk said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 been a long week trying to keep your mind off it as much as possible, and just enjoy the warm weather outside as much as you can, but it91裸聊视频檚 hard not to think about Game 1.91裸聊视频�
A matchup that features the furthest distance between cities in the final in league history at 4,089 kilometres, the series will be one of contrasts.
Committed to defence more so than ever before in the McDavid and Leon Draisaitl era, the Oilers have a high-flying offence that downed the Los Angeles Kings in the first round before having to come back from series deficits to defeat the Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars for the Western Conference crown.
That attack includes the first four names in post-season scoring with McDavid, Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins topping the list, along with Hyman, who leads in goals.
It took a while for the Oilers to figure things out.
91裸聊视频淵ou91裸聊视频檙e not going to go through the playoffs and win 16 games winning 5-0 every game,91裸聊视频� Draisailt said. 91裸聊视频淲e were young kids coming in and the weight of the world on our shoulders, it felt like. Everyone expected us to do everything. We weren91裸聊视频檛 ready to understand what it really takes to win. When you91裸聊视频檙e 19, 20, 21 years old, that91裸聊视频檚 just a fact.
91裸聊视频淪ometimes it takes a little longer.91裸聊视频�
The Panthers, meanwhile, are a tough, four-line juggernaut built from Sergei Bobrovsky91裸聊视频檚 net out that rolled through the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins before dispatching the Presidents91裸聊视频� Trophy-winning New York Rangers.
Tkachuk, who is familiar to Edmonton fans from his six seasons with the Calgary Flames, and captain Aleksander Barkov pace a balanced attack.
Florida head coach Paul Maurice will take part in his third final still in search of a first Cup. His opposite, rookie bench boss Kris Knoblauch, took over in November with Edmonton sitting 31st in the standings at 3-9-1.
The Oilers91裸聊视频� special teams are a big reason they91裸聊视频檙e four victories from sipping from the silver mug. A lethal power play came through late against the Stars, while a middle-of-the-pack penalty kill in the regular season hasn91裸聊视频檛 allowed a goal in its last 28 short-handed chances 91裸聊视频� a stretch of 10 games.
91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e a great team,91裸聊视频� Tkachuk said. 91裸聊视频淕ot to watch some of their games against Dallas. They played really well and ultimately deserved to win the West.
91裸聊视频淚t should make for a great final.91裸聊视频�
Edmonton is also carrying the weight of Canada91裸聊视频檚 collective Cup drought, which stands at 30 years since the Montreal Canadiens last raised the glistening trophy in 1993. The Canucks (twice), Oilers and Calgary Flames have all lost the final in seven games in the years since, while the Ottawa Senators and Canadiens also got agonizingly close.
McDavid and his group felt about as far away from this moment as the journey from Edmonton to South Florida back in November.
Now they can almost taste it.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 been good for our group to have gone through that,91裸聊视频� McDavid said. 91裸聊视频淵ou find out what your group91裸聊视频檚 made. We showed that we can go through adversity together and stick together.
91裸聊视频淎nd come out the other side.91裸聊视频�
The final climb towards hockey immortality begins Saturday.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
