"Show up and put your best foot forward"; Golden Knights Head Into A Must Win Game 5 With A Clear Mindset
It's been a poor display by the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the playoffs, and now they find themselves on the brink of elimination, trailing the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 in the series.
Heading into Game 5 at home, coach Bruce Cassidy wants his players to play their game and give everything they've got.
"This has got to be something you embrace if you expect to be the last team standing... It's on. Show up and put your best foot forward and see what happens," said Cassidy about this series.
Cassidy previously mentioned that with all due respect to the other six teams in the division, he believes the Golden Knights and the Oilers are the two "kings" of the division. The previous two seasons indicate that he is correct. The Oilers were the final Western Conference team standing last season, and the year prior, it was the Golden Knights. Once again, the final two Pacific Division teams are the Golden Knights and the Oilers.
The key difference between the two teams this season is that the Oilers have embraced a step-on-their-throat mentality, something the Golden Knights have uncharacteristically lacked this postseason.
The Golden Knights went up 2-0 in Game 1 but took their foot off the gas and allowed the Oilers to steal Game 1. With momentum on their side, the Oilers found another way to pull out an overtime win. The Golden Knights scored a clutch last-second winner in Game 3, but Game 4 was once again all Oilers.
They took an early lead and shut out the Golden Knights, outshooting them 32-23. Working their way back into the series with the mindset the Oilers have developed will be difficult, but the Golden Knights don't have any other option than to put their head down and find a way to get positive results.
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New York Times
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- New York Times
The Oilers need a statement game. Plus: The goalie conundrum
Red Light newsletter 🏒 | This is The Athletic's hockey newsletter. Sign up here to receive Red Light directly in your inbox. Good morning! Let's get you set for a massive Game 4 down in Sunrise, where this Stanley Cup Final could take a huge turn… Is this going to be a short, somewhat forgettable Cup final where we mostly come away lauding the Florida Panthers for being an unstoppable, dynastic juggernaut? Or will it go down as one of — if not the —best Cup finals of the NHL's salary cap era? A lot of that will come down to how Edmonton rebounds from a disastrous Game 3 tonight. Teams up 2-1 in a Cup final series are 45-11 all-time, good for a win percentage over 80 percent. The Oilers' odds right now are better than historical precedent, with betting and analytical sites giving them anywhere between a 25 and 31 percent chance of coming back in the series. Advertisement It all starts with Game 4, though. Lose here and it feels extremely unlikely this powerhouse Florida team will fritter away a series with three straight losses. (Teams are 38-1 after going up 3-1 in the Cup final.) Win and it returns to basically a 50-50 coin-flip series, with Edmonton having home-ice advantage in Game 7, unlike last year. These are the games where the Oilers are going to need Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to be otherworldly. Good thing that's kind of what they do. Here's the remaining Cup final schedule All games: 8 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV, Max and Sportsnet Game 4: Tonight, Oilers at Panthers Game 5: Saturday, Panthers at Oilers Game 6*: June 17, Oilers at Panthers Game 7*: June 20, Panthers at Oilers *- if necessary I'm no goalie expert, so I decided to bring in two folks who are. Who the Oilers put in goal for Game 4 feels pivotal given what's at stake, and it's not an easy question. Stuart Skinner has had his moments in these playoffs, both good and bad, and was lit up in Game 3. Journeyman backup Calvin Pickard is undefeated in the postseason and has stepped in admirably when called upon. Former NHL netminders and current TV analysts Jamie (Noodles) McLennan and Stephen Valiquette weighed in with their takes to Red Light 🚨 on what Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch should do here. What's interesting is that they disagree entirely: McLennan, co-host TSN Overdive: 'I would stick with Skinner because he wasn't the reason they lost Game 3. The whole team stunk. Before that, he won seven of nine. I would give him another opportunity — like the rest of the team — to play better. 'The reason why (former Stars coach) Pete DeBoer made a mistake in Dallas (in Round 3) in my opinion was he did not put (Jake) Oettinger back in. He calls the timeout, yells at his team and pulls his goalie. He gave his team an opportunity to pull their heads out of their asses but doesn't give his goalie an opportunity to do that as well.' Advertisement Valiquette, Clear Sight Analytics & MSG Networks: 'I say go with Pickard because Stu looks burnt out. But this would be mostly up to a coaching staff's intuition. They should get him in the room, ask him how he's doing and if he's ready to go for Game 4. If Skinner hesitates for a second, you're going with Pickard. 'I do think, though, that Skinner looks tired at this point. He's proved that he can rebound well after a short breath away for a start or two, and I think Pickard with his attitude and energy can go in there and steal a game for them.' In these playoffs overall, Skinner is 7-6 with an .894 save percentage and 4.6 goals saved above expected. Pickard is 6-0 with an .888 save percentage and minus-0.1 GSAx. Valiquette also pointed out that Skinner has allowed 13 goals on 25 high danger chances in the final, 2.7 times as high a rate as Sergei Bobrovsky. Speaking of Cup final goalies … Heading into Game 4, here are the favorites for playoff MVP: Everyone else is an extreme long shot at this point, with implied odds of 2.1 percent or lower. 🏒 The trade rumors are starting to fly, with Chris Kreider to Anaheim feeling like close to a done deal and much more on the way in advance of the draft. Pierre LeBrun has the latest on a whole bunch of happenings in his rumblings today. 📑 The Olympic hockey rosters for Milan Cortina 2026 are going to start to take shape, with initial announcements expected later this week. Here's our analysis of who the first choices for Canada and the United States will likely be. 🐕🦺🛷 The Oilers are drawing inspiration from an unlikely source right now: a dog sled musher. I'm guessing those aren't as common in South Florida. 🤔 Which teams are likely to lose decent players to a salary cap crunch? Dallas, for one, could see big changes this summer. 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The NHL's official data squad has been coming up with all kinds of good ones of late. Here are a couple that caught my attention during the Cup final: 1. 'Two Stanley Cup Finals in NHL history have seen teams combine for seven-plus goals in each of the first four games of the series: 1980 (6 GP) and 1918 (4 GP).' Advertisement One thing you can't complain about throughout this postseason is a lack of scoring. Florida in rticpaular has been a huge driver of that, averaging four goals per game for 20 games so far this postseason. (Edmonton isn't far behind, averaging 3.89, giving this series an '80s throwback feel.) 2. 'The 2025 Stanley Cup Final can become the first in NHL history to see a goal scored within the opening three minutes of the first four games. The 1938 Final between Toronto and Chicago is the only other to have seen this through the first three games.' Probably don't tune in late tonight, in other words. 💡Mirtrivia answer: The answer is Tom Barrasso and Henrik Lundqvist, who both sit at 61 playoff wins. Bobrovsky can push up into hockey's top 10 next season if the Panthers make the third round, as he sits only 12 wins away from Jacques Plante. Pretty incredible. Bonus trivia: Somewhat of a trick question given he never played in the NHL. It's Vladislav Tretiak. 📫 Love Red Light? Check out The Athletic's other newsletters.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Bet365 bonus code NYPBET: Claim $150 bonus or $1K first bet safety net for Game 4 of Stanley Cup Final
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers is set for Thursday evening at 8 p.m. ET at Ameriant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. The Panthers are two wins away from the repeat after they won Game 3 in a 6-1 rout. No matter who you're backing, the folks at bet365 have a bonus code for the Stanley Cup Final: You can get $150 in bonus bets, whether you win or lose. Bet365 bonus code NYPBET: Bet on Oilers vs. Panthers Game 4 Use the bet365 promo code NYPBET to snag a bonus on Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Oilers and Panthers. If you're looking for a more robust boost, you can also consider a first bet reset, which gives your first bet a chance at redemption if it loses. If you bet on the Stanley Cup Final, up to $1,500, you will get your bet amount back in bonus bets if they don't win. How to sign up for bet365 Sportsbook What our Post expert thinks about Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final Game 3 between the Oilers and Panthers was a bit of a circus with 17 power plays and 140 penalty minute. It would behoove the Oilers to clean things up and not engage the Panthers in the after-the-whistle shenanigans that have become a part of their identity. Expect a much quieter game Thursday night. New players only, 21+ (18+ in KY). Gambling Problem? Call or Text 1-800-GAMBLER. Available in AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, NC, NJ, OH, TN, VA only. Place a qualifying bet of up to $1000 to be eligible for a matched refund in Bonus Bets if your qualifying bet loses. A deposit (minimum $10) is required to participate in this offer. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Registration required. New customers only, 21+ (18+ in KY). Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Available in AZ, CO, NJ, IA, IL, KY, IN, LA, NC, VA, PA, TN, OH only. Bet $5 and Get $150 in Bonus Bets at bet365. Registration required. A deposit (minimum $10) is required to participate in this offer. You must claim the offer via the bet365 app, within 30 days of registering your account. Once released, your Bonus Bets will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable.T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Why Trust New York Post Betting Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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