Oilers and Panthers showed their affection for the exciting Stanley Cup final on social media

The Edmonton Oilers’ 2-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night sparked mixed reactions on social media.

Edmonton trailed 3-0 in the NHL’s best-of-seven championship series but attempted an improbable comeback by winning the next three games to extend its postseason run through Monday.

The Oilers were looking to become only the second team to overcome a 3-0 deficit in the Finals, the only team to do so being the 1941-42 Toronto Maple Leafs.

Edmonton gave fans across Canada hope that the 31-year drought of Canadian teams failing to win the Cup might finally be coming to an end. The Montreal Canadiens were the last Canadian team to win the coveted Cup in 1992-93.

“Well done @EdmontonOilers. What an incredible run. You brought the country together in a way that only a great hockey team can,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on X, formerly known as the X platform, formerly known as Twitter.

Former NHL players immediately pointed out the great excitement that was leading up to the Cup final.

“What a damn game. Warriors. All of them. Hockey wins. Congratulations to the Florida Panthers on an incredible season. Stanley Cup winners,” Paul Bissonnette, who played 12 years as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Phoenix Coyotes, said on X.

“What a series,” said PK Subban, who played 13 years in the NHL as a defenseman for the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators and New Jersey Devils, on X.

Some Oilers fans spoke to X positively about the Oilers’ season despite Monday’s loss.

“The @EdmontonOilers may not have won the #StanleyCup, but to me they are still champions because they accomplished something even more improbable by uniting a nation that agrees on very few things these days,” said one fan.

“You have to give the @EdmontonOilers credit for a remarkable season considering how they started right from the start. If there was a team that made it to the finals after a horrific start, it was the team with the best player in the league,” said another fan.

On the other hand, Vancouver fans were happy to see former goalie Roberto Luongo win the Stanley Cup. The Hall of Famer spent over seven seasons with the Canucks, but was with the Panthers for over ten years before and after his time in Vancouver.

“Every #Canucks fan is so happy knowing this man finally won the Stanley Cup. Thank you Roberto Luongo,” said one fan.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2024.

The Canadian Press