What can the New York Rangers learn from Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final?

Wednesday night in Sunrise delivered one of the most thrilling, draining, and flat-out unforgettable Stanley Cup Final games we’ve seen in years, which the New York Rangers can learn from. The Edmonton Oilers, left for dead after twenty disastrous minutes, clawed their way back to life in an emotional 5-4 overtime win over the Florida Panthers to even the series at two games apiece.

Before the puck even dropped, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch shook things up. Out went Viktor Arvidsson and John Klingberg. In came Jeff Skinner and Troy Stecher. Between the pipes was Stuart Skinner — a perfect 6-0 in his career in Game 4s. Early on, it appeared that the trend might continue. Skinner made two massive saves on Sam Bennett and Anton Lundell within seconds of each other, first flashing the blocker, then stretching his arm out across the crease to deny a surefire rebound goal. However, that early brilliance didn’t last.

Florida went to the power play after an Evander Kane high-stick, and then got a 5-on-3 chance when Darnell Nurse tripped Aleksander Barkov. You knew what was coming. Matthew Tkachuk scored off a faceoff, beating Skinner short side.

A few minutes later, it was Tkachuk again — this time slamming home a rebound off a Sam Reinhart chance in the slot for a 2-0 Cats lead.

Then, Lundell made it three, finishing a slick feed from Carter Verhaeghe after a Stecher turnover. After being blown out 6-1 in Game 3 and already trailing the series, the Oilers now faced a 3-0 hole just 20 minutes into Game 4. Teams leading by three goals at the end of the first period in the Stanley Cup Final were 37-0 all-time. Emphasis on “were.”

Knoblauch made the switch. Calvin Pickard, the veteran backup who hadn’t seen action in weeks, entered the game to start the second period. Almost immediately, Edmonton started to tilt the ice. Jeff Skinner had a few golden looks but was denied by Sergei Bobrovsky. Then came a crucial turning point — a power play for the Oilers and, finally, a breakthrough. Leon Draisaitl slid a cross-ice pass to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who rifled it short-side off the post and in. The door was cracked open.

Pickard made a massive stop on Lundell moments later after Jake Walman coughed it up in the defensive zone, and then Nurse brought the house down. Taking a pass from Mattias Ekholm, he backskated into the left circle and wired one over Bobrovsky’s shoulder. 3-2. Edmonton knew Bobrovsky liked to go down early, and they were finally taking advantage of it. The tying goal came from one of the unlikeliest heroes of the night. After a wraparound attempt by Nurse was stopped, the puck bounced loose in front, and Vasily Podkolzin backhanded it through Bobrovsky to make it 3-3. Three goals in 11 minutes. The Oilers, completely left for dead after the first period, had pulled even.

The end of the second period nearly saw Tkachuk complete his hat trick on a wide-open net, but both Ekholm and Nugent-Hopkins sacrificed the body and played goalie, blocking the shot and preserving the tie. The third was the Pickard show. He denied a Barkov redirect in tight, weathered early pressure, and looked like a man who had been playing all series, not sitting cold on the bench. Walman then gave the Oilers their first lead of the night, finishing off a one-time feed from Kasperi Kapanen to make it 4-3.

It could’ve been 5-3 when Corey Perry corralled a pop pass from McDavid in tight, but Bobrovsky made a jaw-dropping right pad save to keep Florida within one. Then, with just 20 seconds left in regulation, everything unraveled. Sam Bennett chipped the puck across the zone, and while Tkachuk lost control, the puck drifted to Sam Reinhart. From a nearly impossible angle, Reinhart beat a sprawling Pickard — who had come far too far out of his crease. The goal was made worse by Draisaitl’s failure to pin the puck along the wall seconds earlier. It was a mental breakdown in a moment when the Oilers just needed one more clear. Instead, it was 4-4, and for the third time in four games, this series was headed to overtime.

The extra frame was chaos. Connor McDavid had the puck in the slot but had it deflected off his stick. Frederic nearly ended it. Sam Bennett rang one off the post on a turnover. Reinhart had another point-blank look, and Pickard answered. The Panthers kept shooting but with less purpose. The Oilers stayed composed. Then came familiar heroics. Podkolzin, again involved. He sent a one-touch pass across the crease to Draisaitl. Off balance and outstretched, the Conn Smythe frontrunner tried to shovel it on net, but it deflected off Niko Mikkola and slid under Bobrovsky’s pads for his fourth overtime winner of the postseason and second of the series. Edmonton stormed the ice, as the series, unbelievably, was tied.

So what can the Blueshirts learn here? A lot if they're honest with themselves. For starters, these Watch how Edmonton responded to adversity, with a season basically on the brink. Most teams, especially the 2025 Blueshirts, fold in that spot. Edmonton didn't let panic take over the bench or ego dominate the process.

They found a way to get contributions from everyone. Walman, and Podkolzin scored. Pickard came off the bench, and delivered the game of his life. There's also something to be said for the way Edmonton attacked Bobrovsky.

They adapted by attacking the net front. Meanwhile, we frequently see Rangers stars defer to perimeter play, looking for the perfect pass or low-danger shot. Chris Kreider had six man-advantage tallies in 2025 for a reason. Now that he's been traded, someone else for the Rangers will have to step up and score those goals next season.

The Oilers simplified, and it worked. Most importantly, the Blueshirts need to absorb what real urgency looks like. No manufactured quotes. Not "We know we need to be better" soundbites. Urgency in how you backcheck, forecheck, and how you recover from mistakes and keep moving.

The series is now tied a two games a piece, and with Game 5 back in Edmonton the Oilers have a chance to take a stranglehold on the series. If they show the same level of drive, tenacity, and resiliency and take Game 5, they will then have two chances to close the series out.