It\u2019s pretty much do-or-die for the Edmonton Oilers as they return home to Rogers Place for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
They trail the Florida Panthers 2 games to none in the best-of-seven series.<\/p>\n
Game time is 8 o\u2019clock EDT and will air on ABC and live stream on ESPN+ and live stream on fubo TV (FREE trial) and DirecTV Stream (FREE trial and discount).<\/p>\n
Florida, the Eastern Conference champs, has played pretty much a flawless series so far, winning Game 1 by a 3-0 score and then following that up with a 4-1 win in Game 2.<\/p>\n
The Panthers stifled the Oilers\u2019 offense through much of Game 2, holding them to seven shots through two periods. Once Edmonton got some offensive momentum in the third period, goalie Sergei Bobrovsky stopped everything shot at the net.<\/p>\n
He has yielded two goals or fewer for the 12th time in his last 13 games for a Panthers team that has won 14 of 19 postseason games and reversed a trend where it had never held a series lead in the Stanley Cup Final.<\/p>\n
They have been effective in shutting down Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and have silenced the Oilers\u2019 exceptional power play, which is 0 for 7 through two games.<\/p>\n
Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner has played well, stopping 40 of the 45 shots he has faced, and the goals he has allowed have largely come off turnovers and mistakes made by defenders in front of him.<\/p>\n
The Panthers, who left Florida a few hours late on Wednesday because of heavy rains across the state, have history on their side as they get within two games of hoisting the Cup for the first time in franchise history.<\/p>\n
This is the fourth consecutive season that a team has taken a 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final. All three of the previous teams \u2014 the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023 (against Florida), Colorado Avalanche in 2022 (against the Tampa Bay Lightning) and Lightning in 2021 (against the Montreal Canadiens) \u2014 won the Cup.<\/p>\n
But the advantage goes deeper than that.<\/p>\n
Only six times in NHL history \u2014 and only twice in 10 attempts since 2009 \u2014 has a team worked its way back from a 2-0 series deficit and won the Stanley Cup. The Boston Bruins overcame series deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to beat the Vancouver Canucks in seven games in 2011, and the Pittsburgh Penguins overcame also rallied back from being down 2-0 and 3-2 to beat the Detroit Red Wings in seven games in 2009.<\/p>\n
Before those two, the most recent instance of a team rallying back from a 2-0 deficit to win the Stanley Cup was the Canadiens in 1971.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we feel that we came here and played well enough that we should have a split,\u201d Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch told The Associated Press. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t always happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
What is ESPN+<\/p>\n
With 75 weekly national games and more than 1,000 out-of-market games available, ESPN+ is home to the widest selection of NHL games anywhere this season. ESPN+ is also a great value for fans of soccer, UFC, MMA, baseball, hockey, boxing, golf, and college sports. The cost is just $10.99\/month.<\/p>\n
What is fubo TV?<\/p>\n
fubo Sports Network is a live TV network for passionate sports fans. Watch event coverage, keep up with the day\u2019s hottest sports topics, check out exclusive content and sports-related entertainment programming. Fubo offers three plans: the Pro plan for $79.99 per month, the Elite plan for $89.99 per month, and the Premier plan for $84.99 per month. The two highest plans include additional channels and 4K capabilities.<\/p>\n
What is DirecTV Stream?<\/p>\n
DirecTV Stream is a no-term commitment service. That means that you can enjoy the best of Live TV and On-demand local and national channels without the contracts. DirecTV Stream comes with a 7-day free trial, which is its best selling point. DIRECTV STREAM\u2019s five-day free trial differs from the free trials offered by competitors in a few key ways. One significant advantage of DIRECTV STREAM\u2019s trial is its comprehensive channel lineup, which includes a wide range of live TV channels, sports coverage, and on-demand content. This makes it an appealing choice for users who want access to diverse programming options during the trial period.<\/p>\n