Florida Panthers Top Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 to Win Stanley Cup Finals

Nick Selbe | Jun 25, 2024

Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The Edmonton Oilers were one win away from completing their Cinderella story. Instead, the Florida Panthers pushed the clock to midnight.

The Panthers' defense stood tall in team's 2–1 Game 7 win over Edmonton on Monday night to capture the franchise's first Stanley Cup title. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak after Florida took a 3–0 lead in the series.

Florida's Carter Verhaeghe opened up the scoring with a goal in the first period, his 11th of the postseason. Edmonton tied things up shortly thereafter on a goal from Mattias Janmark.

The Panthers took the lead for good on Sam Reinhart's goal in the second period.

GO AHEAD SAMSON pic.twitter.com/URsvNpBJUM

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) June 25, 2024

The Oilers became just the third team in NHL history to fall behind 3–0 in a Stanley Cup Finals and rally to force a Game 7. Their comeback efforts fell short, with Edmonton's 24 shot attempts on Monday night netting just one goal.

Oilers star Connor McDavid, who scored an incredible 42 points during Edmonton's 24 postseason games, won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the best player of the playoffs. He became just the sixth player to win the award after losing in the Stanley Cup Finals.