The Edmonton Oilers’ top playoff scorers have no goals in the Stanley Cup final. And their power play hasn’t been working anymore, no matter whether it’s structured or “road hockey” style, says Jim Parsons.

Leon Draisaitl and Aleksander Barkov

The Edmonton Oilers, renowned for their explosive offense, are finding it difficult to generate scoring chances against the Florida Panthers’ suffocating defense in the Stanley Cup final.

Edmonton leads the playoffs in scoring and ranked fourth during the regular season. But in the first three games of the Cup final, the Oilers scraped only four tallies.

The team’s top five scorers, including superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, have been held without a goal, a shocking statistic for such a potent lineup.

In fact, McDavid, Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard have all failed to find the back of the net.

Most notably, the Oilers’ lethal power play, which had been converting at an incredible 37.3-percent rate through the first three playoff rounds, is 0-for-10 in the series against Florida.

Without their power play clicking, the Oilers’ chances of winning Game 4 – let alone the Stanley Cup – appear bleak.

What’s going wrong with the Oilers’ offense? Before Game 3, McDavid attributed the struggles to a lack of fluidity and instinct, particularly on the power play.

“I think it’s got to be a little bit more of a 5-on-5 mentality in terms of… it’s not as structured (as) a power play, but just using instinct,” McDavid explained. “We call it playing road hockey. We’ve got to be elite at that. They’re doing a great job of making it tough on us. With that being said, the power play has been together for a long time, and we’ve been great at what we do. We usually solve penalty kills, and I would expect us to figure this one out, too.”

However, Game 3 showed that playing “road hockey” in the Stanley Cup final is easier said than done.

Despite getting their chances, the Oilers went 0-for-3 on the power play and failed to secure an early lead and pick up a crucial win at home.

The Panthers’ aggressive penalty kill and disciplined 5-on-5 play have neutralized Edmonton’s offensive threats. Florida’s strategy of challenging the puck and anticipating the Oilers’ next move has effectively stifled Edmonton’s creativity and execution.

In Game 1, the Oilers were 0-for-3 on the power play with six shots on goal and 14 shot attempts, resulting in a 3-0 loss. Game 2 saw even less productivity with an 0-for-4 performance, generating only one shot on goal and eight attempts in a 4-1 defeat, per naturalstattrick.com. Game 3 mirrored these struggles.

“They’re challenging, challenging the puck,” McDavid said. “They’re jumping wherever your next play is going. You see wherever the puck goes, they’re ready to jump on that.”

Edmonton’s struggles extend beyond the power play. A relentless Florida defense that bends but doesn’t break tests Edmonton’s overall systems and structure. And the Oilers’ tendency to overthink and search for the perfect play has led to missed opportunities and growing frustration.

The pressure and intensity of the Cup final are affecting the Oilers, contrasting with the Panthers’ composure and experience.

“I pride myself on being good in the playoffs and playing well – just can’t seem to get anything going,” Draisaitl told reporters after Game 3.

To turn the series around, the Oilers must find a balance between their structured play and the free-wheeling, instinctual style McDavid advocates. They must simplify their approach, capitalize on their chances and regain the confidence that propelled them to the final. Without their power play firing, the path to victory becomes exceedingly narrow.

At this point, the Oilers need to spark their top guys and their elite power play just to win a game. It’s no longer about hoisting the Stanley Cup. It’s about not being swept and winning Game 4 on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. If they can manage that, it’s about winning another… and then another… and then one more.