It is formally summer time, and one of the best two groups in hockey through the winter months of the 2023-24 NHL season are nonetheless taking part in.
Whichever staff wins Recreation 6 — and Recreation 7, if crucial — of the Stanley Cup last between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers that resumes in Alberta on Friday night time won’t solely be a staff forever as hockey’s champion. It is going to be a uncommon staff for all seasons, too.
Let’s clarify: Summer season started within the Northern Hemisphere on Thursday. That makes this the fourth time within the final 5 years that the NHL season has stretched into the summer time months and the sixth time that it is occurred in league historical past.
However the Panthers or Oilers — or each — will be a part of a really brief listing of groups to win video games in fall, winter, spring and summer time in the identical NHL season.
“We’re extremely fortunate, for certain,” Panthers ahead Ryan Lomberg mentioned. “We had been speaking concerning the different day, that groups that have not made the playoffs have been at residence for a pair months now.”
The primary two cases of Cup last video games getting performed in summer time — 1995 and 2013 — had been as a result of these seasons began late as a result of labour strife and no video games had been performed within the fall. The 2019-20 season began within the fall 2019 and ended within the fall 2020, however noticed no video games performed in spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020-21 season stretched into summer time however did not begin till mid-January so, once more, no fall video games had been performed.
There have been two groups in NHL historical past — the 2021-22 Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning — to win video games in fall, winter, spring and summer time in the identical season. That yr’s schedule noticed a slew of postponements due to the pandemic and the Stanley Cup last stretched into the summer time. Colorado went 2-1, Tampa Bay 1-2 following the June solstice that yr.
The winner of Friday’s Recreation 6 of this yr’s Cup last in Edmonton will change into the third staff in NHL historical past to win a sport in fall, winter, spring and summer time in the identical hockey season. (And if it is the Oilers, meaning the Panthers can have one other likelihood to hitch that listing in Dawn, Fla., on Monday night time in Recreation 7.)
Because the Edmonton Oilers tackle the Florida Panthers within the Stanley Cup last, right here’s a glance again on the final time Edmonton gained the title — 1990.
For the report, if we have a look at the precise meteorological seasons inside this hockey season, the Panthers and Oilers have been comparatively shut record-wise all yr:
- Video games performed within the fall — Florida 18-12-3, Edmonton 14-15-1.
- Video games performed within the winter — Edmonton 27-6-4, Florida 27-7-2. (No staff had a greater report within the winter months this season than the Oilers and Panthers did.)
- Video games performed within the spring, together with playoffs — Florida 22-12-3, Edmonton 22-15-2.
“Extremely fortunate and lucky to be on this place,” Lomberg mentioned.
The one time the Stanley Cup has been handed out later within the calendar yr has been seasons affected by a strike, lockout or the pandemic. The final time the Oilers gained it, in 1990, it was Might 24.
Kane skates
Evander Kane, who has been scratched the previous three video games due to the sports activities hernia he had been taking part in by, took half in Oilers follow on a fifth line, which might point out he isn’t penciled in to play in Recreation 6.
Coach Kris Knoblauch was not able to make any declarations, constant along with his habits all through the sequence, saying he had not but talked to athletic coach T.D. Forss to see how Kane was feeling.
“Now we have obtained some issues to consider,” Knoblauch mentioned. “However we have now prospects.”
Recreation 6 Historical past
Each groups are 2-0 in Recreation 6 thus far in these playoffs. Edmonton beat Vancouver 5-1 and Dallas 2-1; Florida beat Boston and the New York Rangers, every time by a rating of 2-1.
All-time, Edmonton is 17-9 in Recreation 6 and 10-7 at residence in Recreation 6s. Florida is 6-3 all-time within the sixth sport of a sequence, 2-3 when that contest is on the street.
The Edmonton Oilers have lastly managed to win a street sport within the Stanley Cup finals towards the Florida Panthers and pressure a Recreation 6 again at residence in Edmonton. CBC’s Sam Samson adopted the staff to Dawn, Fla,. and breaks down the win and the way followers are feeling about dragging the sequence again to Alberta.
Lengthy Season
One staff will set a report, the opposite will tie a report on Friday.
Recreation 6 of the Stanley Cup Ultimate is Edmonton’s 106th contest of the season, tying the 2005-06 Oilers for essentially the most in a season (together with playoffs) in franchise historical past.
It is going to be the a hundred and fifth of the season for the Panthers. That is a Florida single-season report; the 1995-96 Panthers performed 104 video games.
The NHL report for video games in a season is 108, achieved on six events, most just lately by the St. Louis Blues of their 2018-19 Stanley Cup title season.