Panthers: an angry GM and players who give up

The Florida Panthers were forced to let the Edmonton Oilers regain their confidence. By losing games #4 and #5, the Panthers got themselves into trouble.

Things change fast in the hockey world.

With Connor McDavid stepping up, the Oilers are giving themselves an option in the driver’s seat of the series. And the Panthers know it.

I don’t know if the club has put too much emphasis on the fourth win of the final series and forgotten to prepare mentally, but right now, the Panthers look discouraged.

Bill Zito, touted by many as the “best” GM in the National League, lost his cool yesterday. At the end of the game, it was his water bottle that paid the price after Connor McDavid’s goal.

Bill Zito was RATTLED after McDavid’s empty netter pic.twitter.com/YMq5rmLBBk

– Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) June 19, 2024

Do we understand why he’s discouraged? Yes.

When you take a good look at the rest of Matthew Tkachuk’s famous play at the end of the game, you can see that the other guys on the ice with him have clearly given up.

Tkachuk makes an all-time great goal-line save and Ekman-Larsson just…gives up on the play and lets McDavid score anyways.

With the Stanley Cup in the building, come on man. pic.twitter.com/4jj6G1RWMR

– Ryan Hana (@RyanHanaWWP) June 19, 2024

Oliver Ekman-Larsson just stopped forcing himself and it’s blatant. He let Tkachuk play goalie against none other than Connor McDavid, which isn’t exactly fair.

And watching the video, you can also see that the guys behind McDavid (who get to the puck seconds after him) aren’t doing it at full speed either.

They didn’t look out of breath like Tkachuk.

Let’s just say it’s going to take a better attitude for the Panthers to win the last game needed to get their hands on the Cup. Nothing’s done yet.

Overtime

– Numerical disadvantage: the key for the Oilers in the playoffs. [BPM Sports]

– Enjoy.