SUNRISE, Fla. — When it comes to hockey’s version of Seventh Heaven, you won’t find many people who have more experience on the subject than Mark Messier, Zdeno Chara and Pete DeBoer.
From the pressure of an all-or-nothing game to trying to control the butterflies churning inside your gut, these three iconic figures know what it’s like to succeed on the NHL’s grandest stage, which is Game 7 of the NHL Playoffs. the Stanley Cup.
Now it’s time for the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers to take that spotlight in what will be the best theater the sport has to offer. With the best-of-7 Stanley Cup Final deadlocked at 3-3, the trophy will be in the building in all its shiny glory on Monday, waiting to be awarded to the winner of Game 7 at Amerant Bank Arena (8 p.m. ET; KeynoteUSA , KeynoteUSA+, SN, TVAS, CBC).
The Panthers will try to win their first title in the franchise’s 30-year history. The Oilers are trying to become the second team to come back from a 3-0 deficit in the finals to win the championship, joining the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs.
Obviously, only one of these scenarios will come to fruition.
To examine what’s in store, NHL.com enlisted the services of Hall of Famer Messier, Boston Bruins great Chara and Dallas Stars coach DeBoer as part of a Game 7 roundtable. It is true that these three know what they are talking about.
Messier won the Stanley Cup five times with the Oilers (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990) and helped the New York Rangers end a 54-year drought by leading them to the title in 1994. In the process, his teams they won 7 -2 in 7 matches, including two in the final (1987, 1994).
Chara, the former Boston Bruins captain who was kind enough to offer his opinion via a phone interview from Europe on Sunday, played in the previous two Finals Game 7s and has experienced the joy of winning and the devastation of losing in those situations. In 2011, he lifted the Cup after the Bruins defeated the host Vancouver Canucks 4-0. In 2019, he and his Boston teammates lost the St. Louis Blues‘ 4-1 win at TD Garden.
After the Stars went all the way to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights and eliminate the defending Stanley Cup champions in the First Round of the Western Conference, DeBoer’s coaching record through Games 7 is a perfect 8- 0. He has yet to lead a team to the Stanley Cup, but his track record in decisive games is impressive.
Add it all up and these three, like the rest of us, are anticipating a special night in South Florida.
“The two most important words in sports are ‘Game 7,’” Messier said. “And they are the two most important words for a reason. It’s the ultimate live reality show.
“Maybe we shouldn’t call it ‘sudden death.’ Maybe we should call it ‘sudden opportunity.'”
It’s a lot like this trio giving their honest opinions on what it takes to be successful in a Game 7.
First, the Oilers rallied from a 3-0 series deficit by winning three straight. To that end, is there such a thing as momentum heading into Game 7?
DeBoer: “In fact, I’d rather go into Game 7 with a loss or a couple of losses rather than a win. I think the character of your group, well, the teams I’ve had that went far in the playoffs or won Game 7, I think if you’re coming off a loss, the good teams, the teams that deserve to win, find a way to correct what’s wrong, dig deeper and find a way to win. It is almost easier to come out of a defeat than to try to control in the locker room the team that is coming off a victory and where things have become a little easier for them.”
More messy: “Momentum is an interesting topic. You could argue that the Oilers have the momentum by winning three straight. But the Panthers could argue why they wouldn’t have momentum since they were here last year as well. They had a great year and found a way to get back here. The reality is that just because a team has momentum coming into this game doesn’t necessarily equate to victory. This victory is going to be won. They are 60 minutes that will define an entire life. And for me, I never thought about the concept of momentum before Game 7. I knew I had to play well, the team had to play well and we had to believe we could win. That belief means more than anything else.”
Chara: “Momentum? I don’t know. I wouldn’t say it’s a hard thing to overcome. You come in with the mentality that you play the same way that made you successful during the regular season. At the same time you understand what’s at stake. I really think that a Game 7 is more of a mental issue than a physical one.”
If not momentum, what do you think is one of the biggest keys to success in the Game 7 setting?
Chara: “For me, one of the most important factors is who scores first. Most of the time I feel like the team that does that can start to dictate the game.”
DeBoer: “It may be obvious to say goaltending and special teams, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Power plays, yes, but penalties, well, I think the success the Oilers have had while shorthanded in the postseason is a big reason for their success. And goal. Watch our Game 6 of this year’s Western Conference Final against the Oilers. We outshot Edmonton 35-10, it was our best game of the entire playoffs and we still got eliminated 2-1. Stuart Skinner stepped up and Connor McDavid made a couple of incredible plays. I think Skinner will have to make the best of his life. Can you tell he picked the Panthers to win?
Does ice matter at home?
Chara: “I don’t know. People are always trying to make that argument for one side or the other. It’s hard to say. I don’t really believe it. At least that’s my experience. We won Game 7 of the final on the road in Vancouver. We lost Game 7 against St. Louis at home. If you get ahead on the road, you can make the home crowd tense and that’s a good thing.”
More messy: “Five of the Stanley Cups I participated in were won at home. I always liked playing at home. Does it guarantee anything? No. If it were my choice, would I like to play at home? Yes. Would you be afraid of playing as a visitor in a seventh game? No. Both teams are going to argue. The Panthers will say they worked all season to get home-field advantage in a situation like this. The Oilers will say they already won in Florida in this series and they can do it again. Personally, if I had the choice, I would play at home.”
Coaches and players always give the prototypical response that Game 7 should be treated as “just another game.” Given what’s at stake on Monday, is that possible?
DeBoer: “I think teams can reestablish their identity and play that game. When you get to the playoffs, whether it’s the first round or Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, you play between 90 and 105 games. Then you have an identity as a team. You already know what your best game looks like. (Panthers coach) Paul Maurice knows this. You have to fight the temptation to overtrain and make your team believe that they should play with the identity they have played with all season when they were playing well and winning all those games and opening up a 3-0 lead in the final. And he knows it. That experience from a veteran coach is a big help in those moments.”
More messy: “Yes, it is. And it’s simple. You have to trust in yourself, your teammates and how you are going to win the game. Is it easier said than done? Maybe. But the team that can follow that plan without deviating has a better chance of being successful. Sure, there will be nerves, butterflies, all that. But once the puck is released, even with what’s at stake, it’s the same game you played all year. The moment becomes too big, most of the time, it is the one that wins in the end.”
After all, what is it like to win Game 7 of a final and have a chance to lift the Stanley Cup?
Chara: “It is one of the best moments you can have as an athlete and teammate. It is the ultimate goal as a team. And having the privilege of picking it up and giving it to the team is one of the best feelings you can have as an athlete.”
In your case, Mark, of the six Cups you helped win, the one in 1994 with Rangers seems to be the one that people remember the most. Why do you think he resonates so strongly to this day?
More messy: “Well, as everyone knows, it broke a 54-year Cup drought for the franchise, which made it so memorable. All the great players, the great years, the incredible fans, and for so many years it all resulted in disappointment and heartbreak. Fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, uncles, the great game of hockey had forged all these bonds, and yet generations of Rangers fans had been disappointed. Being able to be at Madison Square Garden and finally galvanize all that passion and energy under one roof is one of those special moments that you never forget in your life. I know it wasn’t Game 7, but Game 6 in Edmonton on Friday, with the energy, the atmosphere and the electricity, was one of the most special sports moments I’ve ever experienced. And on Monday night, in Game 7, we might as well have another moment of our lives.”
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