As the Edmonton Oilers face elimination again, the Hockey Night in Canada panel—Ron MacLean, Kelly Hrudey, and Kevin Bieksa—offered a compelling breakdown of what the team must do to survive Game 6. With their backs against the wall, the Oilers are one loss away from seeing the Panthers hoist the Cup on their home ice.
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If Edmonton wants to extend the series and bring it back to Rogers Place for a decisive Game 7, they’ll need to play with urgency, grit, and belief. The panel didn’t sugarcoat it: it’s not about being perfect, but about playing with purpose.
The Oilers Need to Stop Circling the Storm: Get to the Inside
Bieksa, known for his blunt and colorful analysis, compared the Oilers’ Game 5 approach to their unusual flight path into Florida—a long, curved route to avoid bad weather.
“They stayed on the outside to avoid the inside weather,” Bieksa said, describing the Oilers’ tendency to play on the perimeter. “But the playoffs are about going into the storm, not avoiding it.”
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He argued that Edmonton’s strength lies in using its speed and skill through the middle of the ice, not around it. The Oilers have the talent to dominate in high-danger areas, but they failed to assert themselves where it matters most. If they continue to play safe and skirt the hard areas, they’re giving Florida exactly what they want.
A Better Oilers’ Start Is Non-Negotiable
MacLean focused on Edmonton’s pattern of poor starts throughout the series. He noted that the Oilers have allowed two or more goals in the first period in five of the six games. In a close-out scenario, that isn’t survivable.
“You’re just not going to win Game 6 if you fall behind again,” Hrudey responded. “Florida knows how to protect a lead.”
Hrudey emphasized the need for a full, 60-minute effort that starts at puck drop. Falling behind early hands the momentum and psychological edge to a Panthers team that thrives in tight-checking, low-risk hockey once they get ahead.
The Oilers Need to Play…
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