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Oilers Player Makes Bold Stanley Cup Final Guarantee Before Game 6

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 7:57 AM ET

The Edmonton Oilers trail the Florida Panthers 3-2 in the Stanley Cup Final heading into Game 6, scheduled for Tuesday in Sunrise, Florida.

To return to Canada with a chance to hoist the Cup, the Oilers will need to win on the road to force a decisive Game 7 back home.

Despite falling 5–2 in Game 5 and being outplayed for long stretches, Oilers blueliner Jake Walman has no doubt the series will return to Edmonton, as he told The Athletic following Saturday's defeat while making a quite bold prediction—if not a straight guarantee.

“This was always going to be a long series,” Walman said. “We’re going to come back here after a game there, and that’s it.

”There’s no doubt.”

Oilers are unfazed in the face of defeat: ‘This was always going to be a long series’ https://t.co/p3il00wABg
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) June 15, 2025

Walman and fellow defenseman Mattias Ekholm had a rough outing on Saturday, as Florida outshot the Oilers' first defensive pairing with them on the ice.

Moreover, Brad Marchand beat Walman clean for both the opening goal and then the game-winner, the latter following an extraordinary move. Walman’s confidence, however, hasn’t wavered.

“It’s frustrating when you come into the (dressing) room and you’re down,” Walman said. “We’re struggling to get to our game right away. It takes us a little bit. I don’t know what the reasoning is.”

That slow-start trend should be a real concern for the Oilers, as Edmonton has trailed by at least two goals after the first period in each of the past three games.

Game 6 is Tuesday night in Sunrise, and Walman has already made his bold prediction for what will happen on the ice come puck-drop time.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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