Panthers power play could be an edge in tight Stanley Cup final against the Oilers

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch says Calvin Pickard came in clutch for the Edmonton Oilers and gave them the space they needed to come back and win Game 4.

Staying out of the penalty box is a good place to start for all the players involved in the Stanley Cup final.

After talking all week about being more disciplined, the Edmonton Oilers were whistled for high-sticking a couple of times and tripping once in the first 16 minutes of Game 4 on Thursday night. Naturally, Matthew Tkachuk scored twice for the Florida Panthers, and then a slashing call put the Oilers on the power play, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ goal sparked their comeback that tied the series.

“It’s a good series,” Tkachuk said. “Special teams, both teams’ power play seemed to be clicking.”

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Florida is clicking at a higher rate at 33 per cent, going 7 of 21 with the man advantage, compared with 20 per cent on 4 of 20 for Edmonton. In a final knotted 2-2 that has often been as tight as it can be with three games already decided in overtime, the Panthers’ power play production has the potential to be a difference-maker.

Until Tkachuk broke through, it had been the second unit of Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, Evan Rodrigues and Nate Schmidt doing most of the damage.

“We’re building a lot of chemistry playing together,” Verhaeghe said. “We have so many great players on the unit. Both units have been pretty good. I mean, we just want to move the puck right and get pucks to the net.”

The Panthers have five power-play goals over the past two games and have scored at least one every night in the final. The Oilers have also cracked Sergei Bobrovsky at least once on the power play each game. Nugent-Hopkins scoring Thursday night could be a sign Connor McDavid and Co. are revving up against what has been a fairly effective Florida penalty kill.

Coach Paul Maurice believes that task has gone “reasonably well.”

“I think they’re still going to generate some action,” Maurice said Friday before flying across North America. “I think the even-strength chances are pretty tight through four games.”

Ekholm’s block

Tkachuk almost completed a hat trick in Game 4, and it could have changed the course of the entire series. With the score tied at 3-all late in the second period, he had the puck with a wide-open net to shoot at.

Edmonton defenceman Mattias Ekholm got his right skate and leg in front of Tkachuk’s shot just in time.

“I didn’t even know that the net was empty or anything — I was just in the moment trying to get as big as possible,” Ekholm said. “It ended up hitting me. It was obviously a big block at the time. I haven’t thought too much more about it. It was a block, and sometimes you need those.”

Better Barkov?

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov picked up his first two points of the series in Game 4 with assists on Tkachuk’s power-play goals. He has none at even strength.

Some of that could be connected to how much energy Barkov — a three-time Selke Trophy winner as the NHL’s best defensive forward — is expending trying to keep McDavid’s line and also Leon Draisaitl from scoring. He does not want to use that as an excuse.

“It’s tough to say,” Barkov said. “You need to know, those two guys, where they are on the ice. Of course, you’re trying to have your head on a swivel, but I think I could be better, for sure.”

Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press