The Florida Panthers did it. They won their first game on the road vs the Edmonton Oilers during the Stanley Cup Final. The building in Edmonton was outrageously loud as one would expect when a Final game is being played in Canada. Florida found a way to overcome it and quiet the crowd fast.
Sam Reinhart, who was a 50-goal man during the regular season, scored his first of the series to give Florida a 1-0 lead. Edmonton did end up tying it later thanks to a breakaway goal by Warren Foegele.
From there, it was all Florida for a while. They scored a few quick ones and it was eventually 4-1. Before the Panthers broke it open, the Oilers were mostly dominating again but couldn't beat Sergei Bobrovsky.
Late in the game, Edmonton made it interesting. They scored two goals in the third period which gave them a chance. Being down 4-3 with under two minutes left, Edmonton pulled the goaltender.
The Florida Panthers found a way to get it done after a scary ending
The Oilers got some good looks on Bobrovsky late but he was up to the task. It felt like he was never giving up that tying goal no matter what. He didn't.
That score stood as the final and the Stanley Cup will be in the building the rest of the way. One more win for the Panthers would mean their first-ever championship.
It is an exciting time for them but they have one more game to win. It isn't over until it is over. Only one team has ever come back from being down 3-0 in the Final and it was in the 1940s. There isn't a modern example of a team ever making that type of comeback.
Edmonton must show up to their next game and leave everything on the line. Florida is a difficult matchup for them because they kill penalties well, don't need many opportunities to capitalize on mistakes, and get wonderful goaltending. They must break through in game four or it is over.
It has been a while since we've had a sweep in the Stanley Cup Final but that is what Florida will try to do on Saturday night in Edmonton.
Florida now knows that they can take care of business in that building during the final. They would surely love to get the win out of the way on Saturday so they don't have to make that tread for another game. They'd like to go home just to celebrate.
Hockey is almost done in the NHL. Enjoy every minute as every game going forward could be the last. Florida has had a wonderful stretch and now they are so close to getting the ultimate prize.