History Predicts Oilers' End is Near

History is not on the Edmonton Oilers' side as they now face a 3-2 series deficit in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers. The Oilers battled hard in Game 4 to tie the series at 2-2, but Florida dominated Game 5, snatching the momentum and series advantage in the process. It's deja vu for the Oilers, who are in a 3-2 series hole for the second straight year in the Finals.

The Oilers will need to buck the trend of the last two and a half decades to come out of this as the Stanley Cup champions. Dating back to the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals, there have been 20 series to reach a Game 6. The team up 3-2 in the series entering Game 6 won the Cup 14 out of 20 times. Ten of those teams clinched the Cup in Game 6, with four more finishing their business in the series' final game. The Oilers experienced this first-hand last season after salvaging their Cup hopes with a Game 6 win.

If Edmonton can squeeze out a victory in Game 6, they'll have a 50/50 chance to capture the elusive title. Not just because it's a winner-take-all game, but because teams down 3-2 in the Stanley Cup Finals who win Game 6 are 4-4 in Game 7 over the last 25 years.

The Oilers are also sizing up their own organizational demons. Last year they fought back from a 3-0 series deficit to force Game 7 before falling short against the Panthers. They also faced a 3-2 deficit in the final round against the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. They won Game 6, but lost the series-deciding contest in heartbreaking fashion.

The demons of their postseason failures are looming once again as Game 6 approaches once again. The Oilers are desperate to overcome them and change the narrative, but after a disappointing effort and result in Game 5, they put themselves on the wrong side of the odds.