“They are a deep team. They play really hard at both ends of the ice. Their goalie is playing incredibly right now. I think the thing that’s underrated with them is their defense.” Matthew Tkachuk used these words to describe the Edmonton Oilers on June 1. And for those who witnessed today’s Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Oilers certainly didn’t make Tkachuk’s words seem irrelevant. In fact, they validated his praise with their performance. Those who watched the game would have noticed how the Oilers mounted an impressive comeback in the second period, showcasing resilience and momentum. That shift ultimately led them to a 5–4 victory, levelling the series. But do you know what Matthew Tkachuk said after the Game 4 loss?

The Senior digital content manager for the Florida Panthers dropped a fire on X, saying what Tkachuk felt after the game 4 loss. Tkachuk, reportedly, said, “I thought we did a lot of good things. Yeah, it’s a best-of-three. With losing this one, we’ve got to go in there (Edmonton) and win one eventually, so hopefully we can do it in Game 5.” After reading this tweet, fans rightly chimed in and took a jab at Tkachuk, asking what is he onto? They played 25 minutes of good hockey, but the rest was terrible. If this is the best they’ve got, it’s over.

At the start of Game 4, when Tkachuk and Lundell found the back of the net early, everybody thought it was over. Many believed it was going to be a repeat of Game 3, where the Panthers absolutely pummeled the Oilers with a 6–1 banger, lighting up the jumbotron. But this time, the Oilers flipped the script and fought their way to a hard-earned victory. The Panthers didn’t see it coming. Although Sam Reinhart’s clutch goal late in regulation pushed the game into overtime, the team’s performance in OT fell short and couldn’t secure the win.

After the Game 3 win, Matthew Tkachuk and the team were clearly pumped. Winning a Stanley Cup Final game 6–1 by the end of the third period was a major achievement for the Panthers. That’s why, while speaking to The Athletic, Tkachuk said, “We talked about it in the third. If you have to take a punch, take a punch. If you have to take a cross-check, take a cross-check. Spear, slash in the face, whatever the case is, you’ve got to take it. We just played a really smart game.” Well, now it’s down to a best-of-three series.

The Panthers draw lessons from Game 4 loss 

Matthew Tkachuk’s first two goals gave the Panthers an early surge of momentum, igniting hope among fans and teammates alike. However, despite his impressive individual performance, it wasn’t enough to help the team maintain control of the game or secure a crucial victory. Now, with the series hanging in the balance, the team’s key players are reflecting on what went wrong and how they let the lead slip away. “It doesn’t matter at this point. It is what it is, and we move on,” goaltender Bobrovsky said in a sombre post-game interview, emphasizing the need to regroup and stay focused as they prepare for the pivotal next matchup.

There was another critical mistake from the Panthers’ end when Leon Draisaitl was operating at his peak during overtime. The Panthers responded too gingerly, failing to apply pressure. And Draisaitl wasted no time snapping a precise shot into the Panthers’ net. From that moment on, neither Tkachuk nor any other player could shift the momentum or alter the 4–5 scoreline. It eventually sealed the win for the Oilers.

Even setting aside Draisaitl’s world-class skill, the play still reflects a defensive lapse on the Panthers’ part. It was a moment of hesitation that proved costly. Of course, at this level of the game, there are no ifs or buts. Still, one can’t help but wonder: what if that shot had been obstructed, deflected, or more aggressively defended? Let’s see if Matthew Tkachuk’s Panthers can do this in the next matchup.