Ray Ferraro cites Edmonton Oilers difference maker not named Connor McDavid to step up in SCF Game 7

By Srihari Anand

Modified Jun 24, 2024 12:14 GMT

The Edmonton Oilers are one win away from clinching the 2024 Stanley Cup, after being 3-0 down in the series versus the Florida Panthers. If the Oilers win, they will become just the second team in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup from a 3-0 deficit. The first, and only team so far, to do it were the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs in 'The Original Six' era.

Leon Draisaitl has been struggling to produce for the Edmonton Oilers so far in the Stanley Cup Final. The German winger only has three assists in six games. He has been critical of his own game and has owned up to not producing enough this series.

ESPN analyst Ray Ferraro joined Sportscenter with Scott Van Pelt to preview the sudden-death Stanley Cup Final on Monday night. When asked which Edmonton Oilers player, not named Connor McDavid, has to step up to guarantee the Oilers a win, Ferraro had one name in mind:

"Leon Draisatl has had a really quiet series for the Oilers. He's got just three assists. (He) is one of the game's best players and for some reason this final series has not gone very well for him.

Ferraro said the German winger doesn't need multiple opportunities to score, but maybe just one during the Oilers' powerplay:

"He doesn't need five shots on goal to score, he needs one. One power play goal might be the difference. He's the one guy that can be a difference maker that you kind of almost expect it's gonna happen."

The Edmonton Oilers have received contributions throughtout their lines, and especially from the bottom six. Players such as Warren Foegele, Connor Brown, Dylan Holloway, and others have stepped up, in addition to Connor McDavid's greatness in Games 4 and 5.

He had two consecutive four-point nights in those games and became the first NHL player to hold that record in the Stanley Cup Final.

Ferraro opines Edmonton Oilers made Florida Panthers lose their nerve after 8-1 thumping in Game 4

After losing three consecutive games, and being on the verge of getting swept in the Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers smacked the Florida Panthers in Game 4, ending with an 8-1 scoreline. Connor McDavid had four points, and only three Oilers went point-less from the 18 players who skated that game.

Ray Ferraro opined Game 4 was the turning point in the series, where the Panthers were rattled to such a great extent, that they suffered the consequences through Games 5 and 6, which they lost as well. Ferraro spoke about the glaring 18-5 goal differential in the last three games of the series:

"Panthers play at their best (with a) a very aggressive, a very in your face style of play. And when they got pumped 8-1 in Game 4, it really felt like they lost their nerve."

Ferraro said the Edmonton Oilers "spooked" the Panthers across three games, which threw Aleksander Barkov and his teammates off their usual physical and aggressive game.

The former NHLer opined the Florida Panthers are stuck defensively. He also sounded the alarm for the Florida Panthers' current state:

"I think the biggest thing for three games is the Panthers don't look like the team that won the Eastern Conference Championship. They look like a team searching right now. And, man, it's the wrong time of year to be searching."

Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, will be played on Monday at Amerant Bank Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT.