‘They’ Got A 7th

The 2024 NHL Final, which the Florida Panthers once led 3 games to none, vs the Edmonton Oilers, has gone to a “winner wins the crown,” 7th game to be contested in Florida, on a summer, Monday night. (June 24th).

Edmonton won its third straight game, joining the ’42 Toronto Maple Leafs, the only team in major North American sports league history to overcome a (3-0) final round deficit and win it all and the Detroit Red Wings, who 3 years after in ’45, forced a home 7th game vs the Leafs, only to lose (2-1) with Babe Pratt’s goal decisive, as the third NHL team to get to a 7th game of the final, after losing “el” first 3 games.

Florida, seeking their first ever NHL crown in this their 30th NHL season (’94-2024, with no NHL season in ’05), has been on the losing end of (8-1), (5-3) and (5-1) games after becoming the 29th? team to grab a (3-0) NHL Final lead. (Again only one, those ’42 Leafs ever won after being down (3-0) in an NHL, NBA or baseball final and only 5 teams have overcome (3-0) series deficits in any round, 4 of those in the NHL with only those Leafs doing it in the final).

The Oilers, seeking their 6th crown, first since ’90 and first for a Canada based team since ’93 have now done twice what only 7 teams have done in final round competition and three of those 7 times, the Oilers were in that series, which is to be down as much as (3-1) (of course this year it was (3-0) before let’s cite Connor McDavid’s 8 points, 4 each in the #4 and #5 wins and “legit” goal scorers Warren Foegele, who “opened” set up beautifully by Leon Draisaitl, Adam Henrique (see ’12 vs Fla and a #6 semis clinching goal vs the Rangers when he was with the New Jersey Devils and breakaway/16th of the ‘offs Zach Heyman in #6) and get to a 7th and deciding game.

Aforementioned 1942 Toronto the only team to be down as much as (3-1), no less (3-0), which they were and win the final, ’45 Detroit (Red Wings) already cited as having lost #7 at home to Toronto, ’54 Montreal , eventually denied in #7 when Detroit’s Tony Leswick tallied in overtime, ’87 Philadelphia Flyers vs Edmonton, ’94 Vancouver Canucks vs the New York Rangers and the ’06 and now ’24 Oilers vs Carolina (Hurricanes) and Florida Panthers respectively, accomplished that.

Only ’42 Toronto among the previous 6, won the title as no team other than them, trailing by as much as (3-1) in the NHL final, came back to win it.

Click below to read a fine article by Lance Hornby in The Toronto Sun, after #5 days back, with great details about the ’42 final and more.

1942 Maple Leafs leave plucky Oilers a hard act to follow

Tony Leswick, pictured above, scored in OT in game 7 of the final vs Montreal, to win the ’54 title for the Detroit Red Wings.