The Florida Panthers lost Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday night. Florida mustered just one goal against the Edmonton Oilers and looked rather lifeless in Alberta. However, they actually put two pucks behind Stuart Skinner. But video review overturned the goal and had Paul Maurice losing his mind after the fact.
A calmer Maurice addressed the media following his team's loss in Game 6. He said he would not have challenged that play had the roles been reversed. However, he also mentioned that he cannot speak to what the Oilers or the NHL saw in the footage they had. The Panthers coach then said he'll look over the video in a way only he can express.
“There's no way I thought you could conclusively say that was offside. I don't know what the Oilers get; I don't know what the league gets. I'm not saying it's not offside. We'll get still frames; we'll bring in the CIA; we'll get it figured out. But in the 30 seconds that I would have made that call, I would not have challenged,” Paul Maurice said, via Sportsnet.
Panthers' overturned goal in Game 6
The goal in question came early in the second period. Around 10 seconds prior, Oilers forward Adam Henrique scored to make it a 2-0 game. Florida forward Carter Verhaeghe skated with the puck before passing into the slot. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov found the puck and fired into the net to ostensibly put his team on the board.
However, Edmonton head coach Kris Knoblauch decided to challenge the call. Video review showed that forward Sam Reinhart may have entered the offensive zone before the puck did. Players are offside if they completely cross the blue line before the puck completely crosses the blue line. In the end, it was determined that Reinhart was indeed offside.
The Oilers capitalized on this call later in the period. Zach Hyman scored his 16th goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to make it 3-0. The Panthers did pull a goal back for themselves in the third.
Ironically, it was Barkov who scored, with this one counting without a challenge. However, it was too late. Edmonton scored two empty-net goals to cement a 5-1 victory.
Florida hosts Oilers in winner-take-all Game 7
The Oilers made history not seen in 78 years with their win on Friday night. They are the third team in NHL history to erase a 3-0 Stanley Cup Final deficit and force a Game 7. Only the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings have achieved this feat.
Entering Game 7, the storylines are clear. Edmonton is looking to complete one of the best comebacks in sports history. They would be the second team in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup after going down 3-0 in the series.
Additionally, it would mark their first Stanley Cup since 1990, two years after they traded Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. Finally, Edmonton would become the first Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup since 1993.
Paul Maurice and the Panthers, meanwhile, are looking to avoid a historic collapse. Going up 3-0 in the Stanley Cup Final only to lose on your home ice and watch the other team raise the Stanley Cup would be an all-time embarrassment.
Florida is seeking its first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. And it is looking to make up for last year's Stanley Cup Final defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The stage is set for an epic conclusion to the 2023-24 NHL season. Florida hosts Edmonton on Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena with the Stanley Cup on the line. Let's see who claims the crown as Stanley Cup champions for 2024.
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