With the series now tied at 2-2 it’s a best-of-three to hoist the cup. It’s been a case of punch and counterpunch, both metaphorically and physically, but inside that there’s been a few key reasons this series has been so damn good.

His Edmonton Oilers looked flat, outclassed by the defending champion Florida Panthers, and were in danger of a third consecutive loss in their Stanley Cup Final rematch that would have put them on the brink of losing once again. In the locker room at the first intermission, he offered some words of wisdom.

Samoskevich, who was on Florida’s top power-play unit, even fed Bennett for the Panthers’ first goal of the playoffs in a 6-2 win against the host Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round. Pretty good way to make your postseason debut. “I can’t wait to get started,” Samoskevich said before the playoffs began.