Oilers’ Penalty Kill Has Made a Major Difference in the Stanley Cup Final Against the Panthers
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Despite all the pre-series discussions about the Edmonton Oilers’ formidable power play and Florida’s need to avoid penalties, it’s actually Edmonton’s penalty kill that has emerged as a crucial factor in the Stanley Cup Final.
Edmonton has successfully killed off 19 of 20 penalties, including three in a 3-2 victory on Friday night, forcing a decisive Game 7 on Monday night in Sunrise.
“In every series, you work hard at the start, gain some momentum and confidence,” said forward Mattias Janmark, who has logged 13 minutes on the penalty kill in the final and scored one of the Oilers’ two short-handed goals. “They might get on their heels a bit, and we get on our toes and gain the upper hand. But in the next game, they’re probably looking to score that one goal, so we need to be at our best.”
With Janmark, linemate Connor Brown, defensemen Mattias Ekholm and Darnell Nurse, and goaltender Stuart Skinner leading the way, the Oilers’ penalty kill is operating at an NHL playoff-best 94.1%, allowing just four goals on 68 opposing power plays.
“We’re playing with instinct, speed, and shutting things down,” Nurse said. “When a block needs to be made, guys are making blocks. It’s good. Even when we have success, we’re always trying to evolve and be even more proactive.”
The penalty kill has been so effective that the Oilers lead 2-1 in the series. They are the first team since the 1991 Pittsburgh Penguins (Mario Lemieux and Bob Errey) to score a short-handed goal in consecutive Cup final games.
This success stems from disrupting Florida’s rhythm and having the speed and talent to counterattack. Skinner highlighted winning a faceoff during a penalty kill in Game 6 as an example of setting the tone.
“Guys are just battling really hard,” said Skinner, who made four short-handed saves Friday night. “We’re keeping opponents on the outside in the neutral zone, and when they do get chances, we make big blocks. We’ve got a good flow going right now, and we’ve had many opportunities on the PK. That chemistry has been great, and we need to maintain it for another game.”
Coach Kris Knoblauch delegates penalty-killing duties to assistant Mark Stuart, a retired defenseman who played many of these shifts during his 12-year NHL career. Nurse said Stuart does an excellent job preparing players for what to expect, and the system is working.
“They’re prepared,” Knoblauch said. “They know what to do. I think we have a good system for the group that we have.”
Knoblauch also senses confidence from his penalty kill, which has been building over four rounds. This confidence is translating into smart plays and minimal mistakes, fueling Edmonton’s comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the final.
“I feel like we’re doing a good job of cleaning up sticks and being physical, and when we’ve had the chance to clear the puck, we’ve been getting our clears, too, so it’s a good recipe,” Nurse said. “It’s been good, instinctual, fast, shutting stuff down, but we’ve got to do it again.”
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