![Panthers win first Stanley Cup with Game 7 victory over Oilers to avoid historic collapse](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/newspress-collage-ewk6ghcyu-1719292135532.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&1719277854&w=1024)
Panthers win first Stanley Cup with Game 7 victory over Oilers to avoid historic collapse
NY Post
SUNRISE, Fla. — The Edmonton Oilers’ Greatest NHL Story Ever Told turned out to be unfinished work.
Instead, the Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup champions for the first time after defeating the Oilers, 2-1, Monday night in Game 7 at Amerant Bank Arena.
The home team staved off an all-time choke after losing the previous three games in the series after leading 3-0.
Sam Reinhart’s goal late in the second period proved to be the game-winner, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 23 of 24 shots after having allowed 12 goals across the three losses.
“I think it was the opposite [of dread],” said Evan Rodrigues, who assisted on the night’s opening goal by Carter Verhaeghe. “I think it was relief. We had the chance to get back to our game and play the defense-first style that we’re used to. The pressure kind of came off of us a little bit. We were just able to play our game and defend and the game just kind of came to us.”
Those waiting for Connor McDavid, a.k.a. the best player in the world, to finally take over and cement the Oilers’ dream will have to wait till next year.
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On one level, it’s hard to shake this part of it from your mind. Think about how many times you and your best friends from college talked at the tail ends of after-hours parties about putting enough scratch together a few years after graduation to maybe, someday soon, rent a house down the Jersey shore or out in the Hamptons for a week.