The Edmonton Oilers continue to set new league-wide benchmarks in the series against the Florida Panthers, but beyond the record book, the team's performance could bode well for winning the Stanley Cup championship.
The Oilers are defined by their resiliency and ability to battle back from seemingly insurmountable deficits. By scoring four consecutive goals to rally from a 3-0 hole in Game 4, Edmonton became just the seventh team in history to win a Stanley Cup Final game after being down by three goals.
This is nothing new for Edmonton. In the last 15 years, the Oilers are one of five teams to record eight or more comeback wins in a single postseason. Three of those teams went on to win the Stanley Cup (Los Angeles Kings in 2014, Colorado Avalanche in 2022, Vegas Golden Knights in 2023).
Edmonton also leads the NHL this postseason with a .600 W% after allowing the first goal of the game. Only three teams have recorded a better wins percentage in that situation since 2020-21, and similarly, the Cup-winning Avs and Knights were two of them.
All of this speaks to how efficiently the Oilers are able to bounce back. Despite a rocky first period on Thursday in which they were outscored 3-0 and outshot 17-7, the team followed that up with three goals and 17 SOG of their own in the second frame.
There are some players going above and beyond in their contributions. With another overtime thriller in Game 4, Leon Draisaitl now has four game-winning goals in the extra frame during this postseason -- that's a new NHL record. Not only that, but Draisaitl joins Don Raleigh and John LeClair as the only players to score multiple OT goals in a single Stanley Cup Final.
The Oilers did something no other team had ever done in the SCF 👀 pic.twitter.com/pXXRrwDJP2
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 13, 2025
Meanwhile, Corey Perry set a record of his own with the latest game-tying goal in Finals history with 18 seconds left in Game 2.
All four lines are chipping in on the offense after the whole team struggled in brutal 6-1 loss in Game 3. Vasili Podkolzin had a goal plus an assist on the OT winner in Game 4 in just over 11 minutes of ice time. Kasperi Kapanen played under nine minutes but recorded an assist, as did third-liner Adam Henrique who each got helpers on goals scored by defensemen.
The importance of secondary scoring can not be understated. The Oilers are led by Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, who both have more than 30 points for the second straight postseason. But having the support of the entire team is instrumental in being able to fight from behind.
While the offense has been electrifying, backup goalie Calvin Pickard deserves a shoutout for his personal ability to be resilient. The 33-year-old stole the starting gig from Stuart Skinner back in the first round against the Kings, but Skinner reclaimed the spot after Pickard was injured.
Now, with Skinner faltering in the Final, Pickard has played two straight games in relief and captured the overtime victory in Game 4. He is 7-0 this postseason with a 2.69 GAA. That's impressive, especially for a goalie that waited a month in between appearances due to his brief injury and then because Skinner was playing too well to justify swapping them.
You can never count out the Oilers; this is a lesson the Panthers have learned the hard way. If Edmonton can continue to showcase the same adaptability the rest of the series, there's a good chance we could see McDavid and co. lifting the Cup in a few games.