#NHLPeachy @NHL NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Final Edition – June 16, 2024
* With the Oilers facing elimination and at risk of being swept in the Stanley Cup Final, Connor McDavid factored on half of the team’s goals in an 8-1 victory to keep their championship hopes alive with the franchise’s first victory in the Final in 18 years.
* Fifteen Oilers players found the score sheet, tying the most in any game in Stanley Cup Final history and ensuring that the championship series will require five or more games for the 25th consecutive postseason.
* Global music superstar Shania Twain rocked a capacity crowd at the Rogers Festival at the Final concert ahead of Game 4. From there for the Oilers, it only went “Up! Up! Up!” as they set a franchise record for goals when facing elimination in any playoff game.
MCDAVID BREAKS GRETZKY’S ASSISTS RECORD DURING FOUR-POINT SHOWING
Connor McDavid (1-3—4) fueled an electric crowd inside and outside Rogers Place by factoring on half of his club’s goals in a series-extending performance that saw him break Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record for assists in a playoff year and become the first player in 37 years with four points when facing elimination in the Final.
* McDavid recorded his 32nd assist of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs and surpassed Gretzky (31 in 1988) for the most assists in a postseason in NHL history. McDavid now has 132 assists during the regular season and playoffs combined – the eighth most in NHL history with only one name above him: Gretzky.
* McDavid, who scored his first career Stanley Cup Final goal, boosted his overall totals to 6-32—38 this postseason – the most points in playoff year among active players and tied for the fifth-highest count in League history – with two names above him on this list: Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.
* Part of McDavid’s point total in 2024 includes 4-19—23 in games after a loss – the highest total in one year in Stanley Cup Playoffs history for both assists and points. McDavid supplanted Doug Gilmour (4-16—20 in 1993) on both lists with his performance.
* McDavid became the first player since Brian Propp (Game 5 in 1987) to record four points in a Stanley Cup Final game in which his team faced elimination. Overall, McDavid (6-13—18) and Leon Draisaitl (3-15—18) now have 18 points apiece – including two assists Saturday for Draisaitl – across 11 career games in which the Oilers have faced elimination, surpassing Glenn Anderson (9-7—16) and Mark Messier (9-7—16) for the second most in that scenario in franchise history behind Jari Kurri (8-11—19).
THE STANLEY CUP FINAL IS NOT OVER AS OILERS FORCE A GAME 5
The Oilers became the ninth team in NHL history to force Game 5 after facing a 3-0 deficit in the Stanley Cup Final – and fourth in a row following the 2021 Canadiens (a team that featured Corey Perry & Brett Kulak), 2014 Rangers and 2012 Devils (a team that featured Adam Henrique). Perry, Kulak and Henrique all collected a point in Game 4.
* For the second straight year, there will be only one sweep in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This is the first time in the NHL's expansion era (since 1967-68) that there have been one or fewer best-of-seven sweeps in consecutive postseasons.
* Henrique scored his first goal in the Final in a dozen years and became the 18th player in NHL history – and first since Martin St. Louis (2004 w/ TBL & 2014 w/ NYR) – to record a game-winning goal in the Stanley Cup Final with multiple franchises. Henrique’s only other game winner in the Final was also in Game 4 (2012) to extend a series in which his club trailed 3-0.
* Edmonton now turns its attention to the 3-1 series deficit they head to Sunrise with. Nearly half of the 38 Stanley Cup Final series in which a team led 3-1 were forced to a Game 6 (45%; 17 of 38), including one instance in which the Oilers did so before eventually pushing it to a Game 7 (2006 vs. CAR).
EIGHT GOALS LEAD TO OILERS’ FIRST STANLEY CUP FINAL WIN IN 18 YEARS
The Oilers matched a franchise record for goals in a Stanley Cup Final contest (also Game 5 in 1985) and became the third team in Final history to score as many when facing elimination, following the Blackhawks in Game 5 of the 1973 Final (8-7 W) and Maple Leafs in Game 5 of 1942 Final (9-3 W). The 1942 Maple Leafs are the only team in League history to win the Cup after facing a 3-0 series deficit in the Final.
* Edmonton set a club record for goals when facing elimination in any playoff game, besting its previous high of seven achieved in Game 6 of the 2017 Second Round (7-1 W vs. ANA) and Game 7 of the 1984 Division Finals (7-4 W vs. CGY).
* Darnell Nurse was the lone defenseman to score Saturday, much to the delight of PWHL Toronto forward and two-time Olympic medalist Sarah Nurse, who was front row at Rogers Place to witness her cousin’s first career Stanley Cup Final goal. Oilers defensemen combined for four points in Game 4, boosting their collective total to 57 this postseason (17-40—57) – the third most in one postseason in franchise history (19-58—77 in 1985 & 17-44—61 in 1984).
* Evan Bouchard (6-23—29) matched Brian Leetch (23 in 1994) for third place on the all-time list for assists in one playoff year by a defenseman. Bouchard’s 29 points equaled Cale Makar (29 in 2022) for the most in one postseason by an active blueliner (and tied for fourth most all-time among defensemen).
* A total of 15 Oilers players found the score sheet in Game 4, tying the Golden Knights (Game 5 in 2023) for the most in any game in Stanley Cup Final history. Two of those 15 were born and raised in Alberta as Dylan Holloway (2-1—3) and Brett Kulak (0-1—1) teamed up to restore Edmonton's two-goal lead in the first period. It was the second multi-goal game of Holloway’s NHL career (regular season or playoffs) and he equaled a career high for points in any contest.
OILERS CELEBRATE FIRST FINAL WIN IN NEARLY 18 YEARS BY PLAYING “LA BAMBA”
Edmonton and its thousands of fans inside and outside Rogers Place celebrated the win by playing Los Lobos’ 1987 cover of “La Bamba,” which has a much deeper meaning to the franchise than simply being a victory song.
* “La Bamba” was the favorite tune of longtime Oilers dressing room attendant Joey Moss, who passed away in 2020. Moss was born with Down syndrome and began working for the team during the 1984-85 season, with his influence still felt in Edmonton through the ICE District Plaza adjacent to Rogers Place being nicknamed the “Moss Pit”.
* The song also had a connection to young Oilers superfan Ben Stelter, who passed away in 2022 after a courageous battle with brain cancer. Stelter shared a special bond with Connor McDavid and captured the hearts of players and fans with his catchphrase “Play La Bamba, baby!”, which is still used around Rogers Place.
MORE FROM GAME 4
* Global music superstar Shania Twain rocked a capacity crowd at the Rogers Festival at the Final concert series co-hosted by the NHL and Rogers ahead of Game 4. Thousands of fans flocked to see the show outside Rogers Place, with fans lining up outside Scotiabank Fan Park at 8 a.m. before the 4 p.m. concert with the line spanning multiple blocks.
* NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman joined “NHL in ASL” to discuss the positive feedback this broadcast has generated. Dedicated to the Deaf community, the alternate telecast is available for each game of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final on ESPN+ and Sportsnet+.
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