Oilers Win 8-1: Connor McDavid Apparently Thinks He's Playing a Video Game
In a performance that seemed straight out of a hockey video game, the Edmonton Oilers dominated the Florida Panthers with a resounding 8-1 victory in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. Connor McDavid apparently decided that it was time to switch his controller to "Easy Mode."
McDavid Unstoppable
Connor McDavid, not content with mere mortal accomplishments, scored his first goal of the series and piled on three assists for a four-point night. It’s like he's your older brother who refuses to go easy on you in NHL 23.
Panthers’ Goalie in Panic Mode
Florida Panthers' goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky, was yanked early in the second period after conceding five goals on the Oilers’ first 16 shots. One can only assume that Bobrovsky was left searching for a reset button that didn't exist.
Defense on Lockdown
Stuart Skinner, on the other hand, seemed to have his goalie settings set to "Superstar", making 32 saves and ensuring the Panthers' offense didn’t get to play much beyond the tutorial level.
Goals, Goals, and More Goals
The offensive fireworks began with Mattias Janmark scoring the first goal, setting the tone for what was to come. The Oilers did not let their foot off the gas, adding goals by practically everyone except the waterboy:
Eye on History
The Oilers are now teetering on the brink of history, attempting to become only the second team to win the Stanley Cup Final after trailing the series three games to none. The last team to pull off this feat was the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs. If the Oilers continue playing as if they've enabled all the cheat codes, they might actually pull it off.
Upcoming Game
Game 5 will take place in Sunrise, Florida, on Tuesday night. The Panthers will need to figure out how to disable whatever "extra life" cheat the Oilers seem to have activated.
In summary, while the Florida Panthers are now questioning their settings and strategy, Connor McDavid and the Oilers seem to be having too much fun to care. Here's hoping the software patches up these "bugs" before Game 5, or we might soon be questioning what kind of simulation we're all living in.