Edmonton Oilers fans hopeful ahead of decisive Stanley Cup final game against Florida Panthers

In 2017, an Archbishop Jordan High School student in Sherwood Park, Alta., just east of Edmonton, placed a seemingly bold prediction in the school yearbook.

Kade Gartner's quote reads, "NHL 2024 Stanley Cup champions: Edmonton Oilers. You heard it here first."

It was calculated, said Gartner, now 24 years old. He recognized the Oilers were becoming competitive, and predicted phenom Connor McDavid's maturation and how the team would build around him.

"I was just waiting for this year to come by," he said.

On Sunday, Gartner and his father boarded a red-eye flight to South Florida to potentially witness the prediction come true Monday evening at Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final.

An Oilers win would complete the ultimate comeback. The Florida Panthers pounced early, winning the final's first three games, but the Oilers stormed back, stringing several strong performances together to knot the best-of-seven series 3-3.

Either way, the Game 7 victor will make history.

The Panthers, appearing in the final for the third time, are hunting for the franchise's first Stanley Cup — and redemption after finishing as the NHL runners-up last year.

Matthew Tkachuk, one of Florida's alternate captains, described the series Sunday as "very even" thus far.

"Most teams, when you lose three in a playoff series, you don't have a chance at another game. Somehow, both of us have an opportunity, still," Tkachuk said.

"This is probably the biggest game in the NHL in however many years, so our fans will be jacked up for it and we can't wait."

The Oilers, meanwhile, are trying to join the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs as the only teams to fall behind 3-0 in the final and lift the Cup. The 1945 Detroit Red Wings also forced a Game 7 after losing the first