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The Florida Panthers suffered a crucial defeat in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, dropping a lopsided 8-1 defeat against the Edmonton Oilers. With the win, the Oilers have forced a Game 5 back in Florida. Meanwhile, the Panthers will look to clinch the Cup on home ice.
With this in mind, it’s worth taking a look at three Florida Panthers players who disappointed in Game 4.
3 disappointing Florida Panthers players in Game 4
#1: Aleksander Barkov
The Florida Panthers' captain has been incredible throughout the postseason. However, Game 4 might have been his worst showing. Barkov was unable to keep Oilers’ superstar Connor McDavid in check, who recorded three assists while generating numerous scoring chances.
Most importantly, Game 4 was the first time in the series that McDavid was able to use his speed to create opportunities for the Oilers. While it’s hard to criticize Barkov for his overall play, this game might be a signal that McDavid and the Oilers have figured out a way around Barkov and the Panthers’ tight-checking defense.
#2: Aaron Ekblad
Ekblad is usually a reliable defenseman, along with Brandon Montour, forming strong cornerstones on the Panthers' blue line. However, Ekblad registered a minus-4, making him the biggest defensive liability on the ice for Florida in Game 4.
He particularly faltered on Dylan Holloway's first goal. Ekblad looked slow in catching up to Leon Draisaitl, who streaked down the left side, shook off Ekblad, and passed to Holloway, who scored to put the Oilers up 3-1.
The Panthers need to shore up their defense, as allowing another eight-goal game, particularly a minus-4 from a veteran defenseman, won’t cut it.
#3: Sergei Bobrovsky
Game 4 was Bobrovsky's worst outing of the season. He allowed five goals on 16 shots and looked shaky on all of them. While it’s hard to pin the blame solely on him, he couldn't bail out his defense like in previous games, and the Oilers did not forgive their opponent's errors.
Anthony Stolarz, who replaced Bobrovsky, did not fare much better, allowing three more goals and effectively erasing any possibility of a Florida Panthers’ comeback.
Moving forward, Bobrovsky will need to return to form. The Oilers may have found the momentum they’ve been lacking. As such, Bobrovsky must be sharp in order to stop the Oilers from forcing a Game 6.
