Edmonton Oilers force Game 7 in the Stanley Cup, aiming to become the second team to overcome a 0-3 deficit.

It was all odds against the Edmonton Oilers as they have set a winner-take-all Game 7 against the Florida Panthers, setting fans up for a possible historic comeback in the Stanley Cup Finals after being behind 0-3 in the series. On Friday night, an area-dominating performance by Edmonton attained a final score of 5-1 over Florida to tie it at 3-3 in the series. Should they win the seventh game, the Oilers would become the second team in NHL history to match what the magical 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs did.

Friday’s game showed how much Edmonton has in store regarding resilience and tactical mastery. The ‘Never Give Up’ attitude and strategic adjustments to most of their game plans have truly been manifested by the Oilers. Their defense, once mutilated, became close to impenetrable until the third period, rigidity setting a new trend. Florida’s Aleksander Barkov’s lonely goal was not enough to change the tide as Edmonton stiffened on defense.

The Oilers ran the offensive scheme perfectly. Early goals by Warren Foegele, Adam Henrique, and Zach Hyman set up a commanding pace. In desperation, with Florida scrambling to recover, Edmonton cashed in through desperation on behalf of Ryan McLeod and Darnell Nurse, who sealed their win with two empty-net goals for the team. This calmed Florida’s comeback attempts at different instances and also showed that Edmonton remains calm under pressure.

Goalie Stuart Skinner played key moments, with 19 key saves and late-game efforts by the Panthers that went large. However, if you are looking at a basic differential of games, it epitomizes that this is as much about the defensive evolution of the Oilers all series long. Skinner’s chances of sustaining the massive tide of offense have been rigorous in Edmonton’s comeback. That stabilizes the team for zero-based counter-attacks against aggressive tactics by Florida.

Reflecting more on the broader historical context, should Edmonton win, it would be an enormously big moment for Canadian hockey. Canada has yet to raise a Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens took home the title back in 1993, so Edmonton’s win would not only seal an end to this 31-year drought but also reinstate the stronghold Canada held over a sport identified at the very core of its national identity. As Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi explained, “Hockey has always been Canada’s sport.”. “Hockey in Canada is king and queen.” This win would resonate amongst the hockey faithful coast to coast in Canada and reinvigorate the country with patriotic fervor.

Connor McDavid, Edmonton’s star, has had three game winners throughout this series. Although not on the scoresheet for a goal or an assist in Game 6, 11 points in the Stanley Cup Final show his significance. With that stat line, though, McDavid has influenced the formation of the team’s offense and kept them competitive game to game. His pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s record of 13 points in a Cup Final was reflective of how historic and personal this series would be. McDavid’s class and leadership have gotten the team through those tough phases, again underlining his status as one of the premier talents in the NHL.

The upcoming Game 7 is quite a precarious moment for the Florida Panthers. From having led three to one and looking primed at that point to win that championship, now they are staring an epic collapse right in the face. This dramatic shift in momentum attests that playoff hockey is a quite volatile and unpredictable game where, many times more than physical strength, it goes to become about mental fortitude.

The closer it gets to Game 7, the more the excitement builds—within teams and among fans, in analysis. It’s going to seal Edmonton’s name in hockey history or be a redeeming moment for Florida after their startling downturn. The final game is scheduled on Monday at 8 p.m. from the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, sure to put a high note at the end of this already unforgettable series.

Such moments are etched into the annals of NHL history and help to define its enduring allure. Combine that with an Edmonton Oilers team chasing a miraculous comeback versus a Florida Panthers bunch scrambling to avoid one of the more monumental collapses in history—is what completes the drama and action that firmly wraps itself into what has cemented hockey as a fan favorite. It is watched worldwide, ready to witness history.