During Tuesday night’s Game 5 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, Bill Zito seemed to personify every Florida Panthers supporter, preserving the Stanley Cup Final series.
With 19 seconds left in the third period, Oilers star Connor McDavid scored an empty-net goal to put the Panthers behind 4-3. With the win, Edmonton led the series 3-2 and went up 5-3.
General manager of the Panthers Zito was spotted furiously tossing a water bottle in the Amerant Bank Arena suite.
“I am not a tire pumper. I’m not giving the finger. After the game, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice stated, “I don’t think we need that at all.” “I think everyone is feeling precisely the same as I am at the moment. I don’t feel discouraged. The hockey team doesn’t either. They don’t feel discouraged. A tad grouchy.”
Over the weekend, Florida lost Game 4 in Edmonton, 8-1. Returning home seemed like a chance to lift the cup in front of the local audience.
But when Corey Perry gave the Oilers a 4-1 lead at 11:54 in the second period, the positive vibes started to fade. Later in the second, Evan Rodrigues cut the lead in half, and early in the third, Oliver Ekman-Larsson made it a one-goal game.
Florida failed to score once more.
Rodrigues declared, “We’re going to turn the page.” “We’re going to learn from this one.”
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