Oilers lead Panthers by five through two periods in Game 4
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A solid 20 minutes is all that separates the Edmonton Oilers from forcing a Game 5 in the Stanley Cup Final.
Trailing 3-0 in the series, it's been all Oilers through the first two periods as they lead the Florida Panthers 6-1 Saturday night in Game 4.
After going into the first intermission with a 3-1 lead, Connor McDavid got his first ever Cup Final goal to extend Edmonton's lead to three. Minutes later, Darnell Nurse scored his first of this year's playoffs to chase Sergei Bobrovsky and make things 5-1 for the home side.
The 35-year-old netminder came into Saturday with a 2.07 goals-against average and .916 save percentage in 20 playoff games, but allowed five goals on 16 shots in about 25 minutes in Game 4. Anthony Stolarz came in for Florida to replace Bobrovsky.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins later scored the Oilers' first power-play marker of the series to further extend the lead.
Vladimir Tarasenko has the lone goal of the night for the Panthers, while Mattias Janmark, Adam Henrique and Dylan Holloway all scored in the opening frame for Edmonton.
The Oilers were without forward Evander Kane for the second straight game due to a sports hernia. He did not participate in the team's morning skate earlier Saturday.
Edmonton dropped the first two of the series on the road and failed to complete a third-period comeback in Game 3 Thursday night.
If necessary, Game 5 will go Tuesday night in Sunrise, Fla., and Game 6 is scheduled for Friday back in Edmonton if the Oilers are able to extend things.