Cup Final already all-time classic heading to Game 5, players, coaches say

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Paul Maurice didn’t hesitate when asked how incredible this Stanley Cup Final has been.

“Oh, this is as good as this thing gets. This is Christmas, this is the payoff,” the Florida Panthers coach said after their 5-4 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 at Amerant Bank Arena evened the best-of-7 series 2-2 on Thursday.

With the momentum swings, big shots, bigger saves, overtime heroes, bitten nails, frazzled nerves, this Final truly has been the hockey gift that keeps on giving. There are likely more great moments to come as the series continues, with Game 5 at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, MAX).

The series is tied thanks to another memorable game Thursday, when the Oilers came back from a 3-0 first-period deficit to defeat the Panthers. It was the third of these four Final games to go to overtime, making this the eighth Final (fourth in the expansion era that began in 1967-68) to have at least three games require overtime.

The last time that happened was the 2014 Final between the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings, when Games 1, 2 and 5 went to overtime. The latter two went to double overtime, with the Kings winning Game 5 and the first Stanley Cup in their history on a goal by defenseman Alec Martinez.

Edmonton forward Corey Perry, who has played in six Finals, including five in the past six seasons, said this was “probably” the best one he has experienced.

“Just the way the games have gone to overtime in three of the four," he said. "I mean, it’s two good teams and they’re equally matched and you’re going to get some good hockey. There are some superstars on both sides of the puck. It’s fun to be a part of.”

The two teams look to be upping the ante after they met in the Cup Final last year, which ended with Florida winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in its history. There were some moments, there were some close games (the Panthers won 4-3 in Game 3 and 2-1 in Game 7), but it didn’t measure up to this Final.

The 32 goals combined between the Oilers and Panthers are the fourth most through the first four games of a Final and the most since 1980, when the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders combined for 33. The last time there were at least 40 goals combined in the first five games of a Final was in 2010, when the Chicago Blackhawks and Flyers reached that total.

Edmonton has had two comebacks from multi-goal deficits, tied for second most in Final history. The Flyers had three comeback wins against the Oilers in the 1987 Final, which Edmonton won in seven games.

Despite all the scoring, the goaltending of Sergei Bobrovsky of Florida and Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard of Edmonton has drawn raves. Bobrovsky is 2-2 with a 2.83 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in four starts. Skinner is 1-2 with a 4.20 GAA and .860 save percentage in four starts (he was pulled after allowing three goals on 17 shots in the first period of Game 4) and Pickard is 1-0 with a 1.77 GAA and .935 save percentage in two appearances.

Maurice called the goaltending “phenomenal.” Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said the goalies have been “unreal.”

“Obviously, Pickard coming in tonight, and then 'Bobby,' throughout the whole series and all playoffs, he's been our rock back there, made some unreal saves,” said Tkachuk, who scored Florida’s first two goals in Game 4. “He gives us a chance every single night. So he's been incredible.”

Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said he can enjoy the greatness of this series -- to a point.

“Games like that (Thursday), it’s exhausting. It’s a roller coaster,” he said with a laugh. “For me, I do appreciate the level of hockey: Two good teams playing as hard as they are, playing the right way, I do appreciate being so close to the action and seeing what I’m seeing.

“But with what’s on the line, it’s stressful. There’s a lot on the line, but it is fun. I think our guys are having a lot of fun enjoying this moment. We’re going to enjoy this tonight, and we know (Saturday) we’re going to have to turn it off because we have a big Game 5 coming.”

This year’s Stanley Cup Final has been amazing. Edmonton and Florida are playing on the ultimate stage and they’re putting on one heck of a show.

“Tuesday on the road on the West Coast in November, not as much fun as you think, but this is where you get the payback,” Maurice said. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not light. I mean, you feel it coming from, what, a day and a half you can feel the game coming and you feel it all day and it’s exciting. But this is truly the juice you live for.”