SI

Connor McDavid Nets First Career Stanley Cup Final Goal in Game 4

Tom Dierberger

Oilers center Connor McDavid celebrates goal in the second period of Game 4 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place.
Oilers center Connor McDavid celebrates goal in the second period of Game 4 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. / Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
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The Florida Panthers stifled Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers over the first three games of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

Game 4 at Rogers Place was a different story.

The Oilers, in jeopardy of watching the Panthers hoist the Stanley Cup on their home ice Saturday night, led 3–1 after the first period thanks to goals by Mattias Janmark, Adam Henrique and Dylan Holloway. McDavid took over from there.

Just over one minute into the second period, McDavid skated up the ice with momentum and received a pass from Oilers winger Zach Hyman near the blue line. He tapped the puck, loaded up and slung a shot past Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky for a 4–1 Edmonton lead.

It was McDavid's first career goal in the Stanley Cup Final.

A few minutes later, McDavid tallied his fifth point (and fourth assist) of the Stanley Cup Final by dropping a no-look pass in front of the net back to Darnell Nurse, who swatted it home for a 5–1 advantage.

Bobrovsky, who blanked the Oilers in Game 1 and allowed just four goals over the first three games of the series, was yanked from the net after Edmonton's fifth goal and replaced by backup Anthony Stolarz.

McDavid still wasn't finished. Before the second period ended, he registered another assist by setting up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for a goal from the side of the net.

It was McDavid's 31st assist of the 2024 playoffs, tying the legendary Wayne Gretzky for the most apples in a single postseason. Gretzky had 31 assists in 1988 when he led the Oilers to their fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history.

If the Oilers hang on to win Saturday night, they will force a Game 5 on Tuesday at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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