Jack Johnson opines Florida Panthers may benefit from playing Stanley Cup Final Game 6 at Edmonton's Rogers Place

By Srihari Anand

Modified Jun 20, 2024 21:55 GMT

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The Florida Panthers had a 3-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final, but the Edmonton Oilers have clawed their way back after winning two consecutive games, to make it 3-2.

With the series heading back to Edmonton, Jack Johnson, 2022 Stanley Cup champ with the Colorado Avalanche, opines that it will be relatively easier for the Florida Panthers to clinch the Stanley Cup with a Game 6 win in Edmonton.

On the Pat McAfee Show, he talked about the ongoing Stanley Cup Final series, Connor McDavid's resurgence in Games 4 and 5, and experience of lifting the 2022 Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche. He claimed that it's tough to beat any NHL team four times in a series, especially in the Stanley Cup Final.

The 37-year-old veteran speculated that the Florida Panthers players may have been distracted by a multitude of things, owing to Game 5 being played at home in Sunrise, Florida.

From his experience, Johnson deemed the distractions to be the Stanley Cup's presence in the building, family and friends attending the game in big numbers, and poeple making plans for Stanley Cup after parties, all before the team even played Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Johnson went on to explain why Game 6 being played away from home, at Edmnoton's Rogers Place, may benefit Aleksander Barkov and his team to lift the Stanley Cup. He said:

"The best thing for a team is to get on the road when you have a chance to clinch and kind of hunker down, get in your hotel, and just the guys, and that might benefit Florida a little bit."

Pat McAfee interjected and alleged that the Florida Panthers had travelling family members to a possible Stanley Cup clinching Game 4 at Edmonton Oilers' Rogers Place.

Matthew Tkachuk's family with his brother Brady and other were in attendance, and fans trolled the Tkachuk family as they were spotted leaving the game early, after the Oilers had pummelled the Cats 8-1 in Game 4.

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Florida Panthers have a similar roadmap Stanley Cup Final as the 2022 Colorado Avalanche

The 2022 Colorada Avalanche had a slightly similar roadmap to this year's Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Avs didn't have a 3-0 lead but were 3-1 when they went back home to play a possibly Stanley Cup clinching Game 5. Johnson opened up about the distractions surrounding the team ahead of Game 5:

"We had the opportunity in Game 5 to win at home. There was a lot of hoopla going around. We were almost at the point where we just wanted the game to be over, to get to the celebrations."

However, the Tampa Bay Lightning, unrelenting like the current Edmonton Oilers won Game 5, and took the series back home for Game 6. Johnson talked about the plane ride to Tampa and how the situation seemed much calmer and focused, as compared to a distracting Game 5 at home. He said:

"So, (on) that flight to Tampa everything calmed down, it was kinda the best thing that could've happened, (which) was, like I said, hunkering down, distractions were gone, and we were able to just play."

Johnson disclosed that the Colorado Avalanche had flown down two family members of each team to the away Game 6 in 2022 and also added that his wife's presence was absolutely imperative for him.

The Avalanche winger said the team was confident heading into Game 5 and were unfazed going up against the defending and two-time champs in the Tampa Bay Lighting. Before the game, the squad had a players-only team meal, after which they did what they had set their minds on and lifted the Stanley Cup post a 2-1 Game 6 win.

Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice said that "absolutely nothing" has changed in the team's mindset after Game 5 loss. The Stanley Cup Final Game 6 is at Rogers Place on Friday.