The floodgates opened for the team’s big guns, though it was Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown who got the party started.

Photo by Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

EDMONTON – The game was essentially over in the second period, but Edmonton fans were more than happy to watch their team pour it on further in Game 4 as the Oilers shellacked the Florida Panthers 8-1 to stave off death in the Stanley Cup final.

Edmonton’s big guns did some damage on the scoresheet, but it was a pair of third-liners – Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown – who got things rolling with a shorthanded goal in the first, plus Edmonton’s second goal, scored by Adam Henrique and set up by Janmark.

“Those two might have been our best players,” said coach Kris Knoblauch. “Especially with ‘Brownie,’ it was difficult for him this season – he didn’t play last year, he had major surgery, so he’s been building his game and throughout the season he kept getting better. Now he’s what we wanted him for. Him and Janmark together, they’re definitely a big part of our success.”

Amazingly, things could have started off very differently. Florida hit two consecutive goal posts on the early power play, then moments later Janmark converted on a shorthanded 3-on-1 to give Edmonton a lead they never relinquished. The Panthers made some uncharacteristic errors early on – defensemen getting caught between pinching and pulling back, for example – and the Oilers made them pay. It was the reverse of what had been happening through the first three games of the series.

“We talked about that a little,” Janmark said. “We’ve been on the wrong end of that so far and as simple as it sounds, it’s maybe been the difference. We had made a couple mistakes and they capitalized, so we talked about flipping it. Now we have to do it for another 60 minutes (in Game 5).”

And despite the lopsided score, it must be said that Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner was massive, particularly early on when the result was up for grabs. Perhaps the most important was a robbery on Carter Verhaeghe on a Florida 2-on-1 in the first period.

“He was great,” said captain Connor McDavid. “Timely. You talk about goaltending and making timely saves, I think about that 2-on-1 save that would have made it 2-2 and then you never know how it will go.”

Instead of a tie game, the Oilers maintained their lead, then added to it when Dylan Holloway deked out Sergei Bobrovsky to make it 3-1 heading into the second period.

Then the floodgates truly opened, with McDavid and Darnell Nurse each scoring on wristers early in the second. Bobrovsky was pulled in favor of backup Anthony Stolarz and from there, the game was pretty much finished. At the least, Game 4 may help Edmonton’s big guns to try to roll some momentum into Game 5 now.

“It certainly can,” said center Leon Draisaitl. “You just have to make sure you put in the work next game to create those looks again. We know they’re going to be tighter, but over the years we’ve always come through even when teams play us tight. We’re a very talented group that creates a lot and makes plays with the puck. I’m sure they will adjust, so we have to be one step ahead.”

On top of the good feelings, the Oilers also saw McDavid make history, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s playoff record for assists in one year. McDavid notched No. 32 on the night to pull past ‘The Great One.’ Of course, McDavid wasn’t ready to bask in the record right now and he didn’t put much stock in the final score.

“It’s one win and it doesn’t matter if you score eight or one,” he said. “We’re going to go to Florida to do a job and drag them back to Alberta.”