Stanley Cup Final Game Five: Conn(or) McSmythe?

One night after the Larry O'Brien trophy was awarded to the NBA Champion Boston Celtics, the Stanley Cup was in Sunrise, Florida for Game Five of the Stanley Cup Final. The Florida Panthers' plans to complete a four-game sweep were thwarted by an onslaught of Edmonton Oilers goals--eight of them, to be exact. Only three teams forced Game Six of the Cup Final after falling behind 3-0. Would the Edmonton Oilers become the fourth?

Let's find out, shall we?

Shots were pretty close, it was 2-2 early in the first. The Panthers received the first power play of the game, but the Oilers had a shorthanded breakaway. That was stopped, but the next one wasn't. Connor Brown broke away and scored, and for the second straight game, the Oilers struck first during the penalty kill. I've seen this movie before. Rest of the power play was knocked off, and the 1-0 score held up for the rest of the period.

Second period saw the Oilers strike very early; 2-0 lead and it was Zach Hyman who put it in. This was not looking good for the Panthers, but I was certain that they would comeback somehow. Then "you-know-who" scored. You know the guy, the one wearing #97 and everyone thinks is the best player in the league even though Nathan MacKinnon exists? Yeah, that guy. 3-0 Oilers, and yeah, already I was thinking, "Game Six Friday." However, Matthew Tkachuk decided to say something about it, and he put the Panthers right on the board. So it was looking good for the Panthers, and then they called one of the weakest slashing calls I've ever seen. So simply tapping McDavid's stick is a slash. I've seen players get sticks knocked out of their hands and nothing gets called. So yeah, it's a power play for the Oilers, and of all people, it's Corey Perry, the Cup Final magnet, who puts it in. The three goal lead didn't last long, as Evan Rodrigues netted his fourth goal of the Final just seconds later.

Oilers led 4-2 after 40 minutes, and the Panthers needed a big comeback. It looked good for the Panthers, as Oliver Ekman-Larsson who cut their deficit to one goal, and it was early in the period. They had plenty of time to tie it, but Stuart Skinner wouldn't give one quarter. Sergei Bobrovsky was pulled for the extra attacker, one shot at the empty net fell short, and we saw Tkachuk actually stop one empty netter at the goal line. However, that deflection ended up in Connor McDavid's possession, and he would shoot it into the empty net.

And just like that, we have a series.

The Edmonton Oilers won Game Five, 5-3, and became the fourth team in Cup Final history to force Game Six after falling behind 3-0. The main catalyst of this victory comes in the form of three words: Connor Andrew McDavid. You know, there isn't much that McDavid hasn't done already, but he's doing it. He's climbing the ranks of Stanley Cup Playoff history with this run. This is his second-straight four point game, and he has 11 points in this year's Final alone. McDavid has a grand total of 42 points in this run (8 G/34 A), and that moves him into fourth on the all time list for most points in a single postseason, surpassing The Great One's 1993 run with the Kings. He's one point away from Gretzky's 1988 run (43 points), two points away from Mario Lemieux's first Cup run in 1991 (44 points), and five points away from Gretzky's 1985 run (47 points).

So yeah, based on the historic implications of those numbers, a vast majority of fans say that McDavid should get the Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoffs MVP), whether he wins the Final or not. Honestly, I'd have to agree with this. McDavid has to be the front runner for the Conn Smythe right now. If he wins the trophy despite losing the Final, McDavid will be the sixth such player to win the Conn Smythe despite being on the losing end of the Cup Final, with the last time happening in 2003, when Mighty Ducks of Anaheim goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere won the Conn Smythe Trophy despite losing the Final to the New Jersey Devils.

Game Six is Friday night in Edmonton, and that crowd will be rocking, as regardless of the outcome, it will be the season's last game in Edmonton. The Cup will be in the building, as the Panthers will look to win it, but the Oilers will look to become the second team to force Game Seven after falling behind 3-0, and we know how the first team did in their Game Seven.

If you like this story, click the heart and the subscribe button, and feel free to comment below! Tips and pledges would be greatly appreciated, as they help support my writing, but only if you want to do so!