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The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers are heading to overtime in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, with the defending champions leading the series 2-1.
The Panthers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, but a goalie change and some timely power plays helped the Oilers mount a stunning second-period rally to tie the game. Jake Walman gave Edmonton its first lead of the game with 6:24 remaining in the third, but Sam Reinhart tied it with 20 seconds left, forcing overtime, after Florida pulled Sergei Bobrovsky.
This is the third game in this series to go to OT. Edmonton won Game 1 at home thanks to Leon Draisaitl before Florida took Game 2 in double overtime thanks to Brad Marchand.
The Panthers have four players in the lineup tonight that have scored a playoff overtime goal in their career:
The Oilers have six:
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Oilers 4, Panthers 4
This is the first Stanley Cup Final since 2014 and the eighth overall to have at least three games go to overtime:
All the series listed above had three games go to OT with the sole exception of 1951, when all five games in the series went past regulation.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the next goal is pretty big. That said, win or lose, I'm done writing off the Oilers. Between last year's 3-0 series deficit and tonight's 3-0 first-period deficit following a 6-1 beatdown, Edmonton has proven it's unfazed by any situation. Of course, we already knew that about the Panthers. Put them together and you get one hell of a series.
This is the 100th overtime game in Stanley Cup Final history. Road teams surprisingly own a 52-44-3 advantage in those 100 contests.
The Florida Panthers, ladies and gentlemen. They are utterly unflappable, and utterly indomitable.
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For the third time in four games in this Stanley Cup Final, we're heading to overtime!
And to think, none of the seven games last year went to OT.
Perry's goal to force overtime in Game 2 came with just 18 seconds left, setting a new record for the latest game-tying goal in Stanley Cup Final history.
This tying goal from Reinhart has come just two seconds earlier!
P3 0:20 – Oilers 4, Panthers 4
Reinhart has tied the game!
P3 1:01 – Oilers 4, Panthers 3
A bad mistake there as the Panthers ice the puck. Not only does that bring the faceoff into Florida's defensive zone, but it also forces Bobrovsky to temporarily come back into the game.
P3 1:21 – Oilers 4, Panthers 3
The Panthers utilize their timeout to give their best attackers a bit of rest and to set up a play.
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P3 2:15 – Oilers 4, Panthers 3
We've reached that time! Bobrovsky is on the bench and the Panthers have to go for it!
P3 3:25 – Oilers 4, Panthers 3
Draisaitl makes a fantastic move to skate right by Kulikov and break free on goal, but Bobrovsky comes up with a huge save to keep the Panthers in this game!
P3 4:00 – Oilers 4, Panthers 3
This game once looked certain to end in a Panthers victory. Now Florida is four minutes away from a gut-wrenching loss.
Jake Walman told me that his shot is harder and heavier earlier in the season, before he's shed his offseason muscle/weight.
But that slapper looked plenty hard to me!
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Jake Walman has one of the biggest shots in the league, and he used it to score one of the biggest goals of the year. If the Oilers hold on here, we're talking about an all-time gut-check victory for Edmonton, and an all-time collapse by Florida.
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P3 6:24 – Oilers 4, Panthers 3
Walman gives the Oilers their first lead of the night! Edmonton goes to work on the forecheck before Kapanen sets up Walman for a huge slap shot one-timer that beats Bobrovsky short side.
P3 8:39 – Oilers 3, Panthers 3
Perry sets up Podkolzin, the unlikely scorer of the equalizer last period, with a one-timer that forces a good save from Bobrovsky.
Bob is called into action again moments later as Nurse rips a powerful shot with Perry screening in front, but he comes up with another stop.
P3 10:27 – Oilers 3, Panthers 3
The Oilers ice the puck with one second left on their power play. With the faceoff coming at the opposite end of the ice, the Panthers will get Bennett out of the box with the score still tied.

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