Oilers' penalty kill has made a major difference in the Stanley Cup Final against the Panthers

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — For all the talk going into the Stanley Cup Final about the Edmonton Oilers' vaunted power play and how Florida might have to adjust to stay out of the box, their penalty kill has actually been one of the biggest difference makers in the series.

Edmonton has killed off 19 of 20 penalties, including three in a 5-1 victory in Game 6 on Friday night to force a deciding Game 7 on Monday night in Sunrise.

“In every series, you work hard at the start of the series, get a little momentum, a little confidence," said forward Mattias Janmark, who has skated 13 minutes on the PK in the final and scored one of the Oilers' two short-handed goals. "They get on their heels maybe a little bit, we get on our toes and get the upper hand. But the next game, they’re probably looking over there at the one goal they can score in the next game, so we’re going to have to be at our best next game.”

With Janmark, linemate Connor Brown and defensemen Mattias Ekholm and Darnell Nurse — plus, of course, goaltender Stuart Skinner — leading the way, the Oilers' penalty kill is converting at an NHL playoff-best 94.1%, allowing just four goals on 68 opposing power plays.

“We’re playing with instinct and fast and closing things down,” Nurse said. “When the block needs to be made, guys are making blocks. It’s good. I think we’re doing it. I think for us even when we have success, we’re always trying to evolve and be even more on our toes.”

So on their toes that the penalty kill has outscored the Panthers power play 2-1 in the series. The Oilers were the first team since the 1991 Pittsburgh Penguins (Mario Lemieux and Bob Errey) to score a short-handed goal in consecutive Cup final games.

That's the result of taking Florida out of a rhythm and having the speed and talent to go the other way. Skinner pointed to winning a faceoff during a penalty kill in Game 6 as one example of being able to set the tone.

“Guys are just battling really hard,” said Skinner, who made four short-handed saves Friday night. “We’re keeping guys on the outside in the neutral zone, and when they do get their chances, we get big blocks. I think we just got a really good flow going right now, and we’ve gotten a lot of opportunities on the PK so for us to have that sort of chemistry has been great and we’ve got to do that for another game.”

Coach Kris Knoblauch delegates penalty killing duties to assistant Mark Stuart, a retired defenseman who skated plenty of these shifts during a 12-year NHL career. Nurse said Stuart does a good job preparing players for what to expect, and the system is working.

“They’re prepared," Knoblauch said. “They know what to do. I think we have a good system for the group that we have.”

Knoblauch also senses confidence from his penalty kill, which has been building now for four rounds. That's turning into smart plays and not a whole lot of mistakes, something that has fueled Edmonton's comeback from down 3-0 in the final.

“I feel like we’re doing a good job of cleaning up sticks and being physical, and when we’ve had the chance to clear the puck, we’ve been getting our clears, too, so it’s a good recipe,” Nurse said. "It’s been good, been instinctual, been fast, shutting stuff down, but we’ve got to do it again.”

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Florida Panthers' Sam Reinhart (13) and Edmonton Oilers' Philip Broberg (86) battle for the rebound from goalie Stuart Skinner (74) during the second period of Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, Friday, June 21, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers' Aleksander Barkov (16) crashes into Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) during the second period of Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, Friday, June 21, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers' Sam Bennett (9) checks Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) during the second period of Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, Friday, June 21, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers' Vladimir Tarasenko (10) is checked by Edmonton Oilers' Darnell Nurse (25) during the third period of Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, Friday, June 21, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. The Oilers won 5-1 to tie the series. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk (19) is stopped by Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) during the third period of Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, Friday, June 21, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. The Oilers won 5-1 to tie the series. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers' Evan Rodrigues (17) is stopped by Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) during the third period of Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, Friday, June 21, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. The Oilers won 5-1 to tie the series. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

FORDYCE, Ark. (AP) — A steady rain was falling outside Fordyce High School, but that didn't deter an army of volunteers who raced to hand out jugs of milk and bags of groceries to a line of cars snaked around the parking lot.

In the days since a shooter killed four people and injured 10 others at the Mad Butcher grocery, this town of 3,200 people has been grieving and grappling with the shock of a mass killing. But the community has also faced the void left by the temporary closure of its only grocery store.

While the Mad Butcher’s workers have been cleaning up from the aftermath of the violence in the south Arkansas store, residents have few nearby alternatives. Though the town has a Walmart and discount retailers with some food options, the closest grocery stores or supermarkets are located in neighboring cities at least half an hour away.

“A lot of people don't have the ability to get there or elderly people don't want to go that far,” said Darrin Brazil, the school's basketball coach, who organized the food pickup with two former classmates. “We just want to do that for the community for help people that really need that.”

The school, a city facility and churches are among sites set up for residents to pick up groceries while the store is closed and being cleaned up.

The struggle has highlighted concerns about “food deserts,” areas without access to affordable, healthy food nearby. Similar efforts sprung up in Buffalo in 2022 after a white supremacist killed 10 people at a supermarket.

"It’s a basic need that people have. It’s kind of bringing us together, to be honest," said Roderick Rogers, a city council member and pastor. “We’re trying to respond with love to overcome this tragedy.”

The front of the Mad Butcher was still riddled with bullets on Wednesday as workers were inside cleaning up and making repairs. A makeshift memorial for the victims — including crosses, flowers and candles — was set up next to the parking lot.

A banner reading “#WeAreFordyceStrong” hung under the store's name and green awning.

“Temporarily closed” signs were taped to the store's front doors. “Please pray for our community," they said.

Police have not given a motive for the shooting. Travis Eugene Posey, 44, pleaded not guilty this week to four counts of capital murder and ten counts of attempted capital murder and is being held in a neighboring county's jail without bond. Posey was injured after a shootout with police officers who responded to the attack, authorities said.

Police have said Posey was armed with a handgun and a shotgun, and multiple gunshot victims were found in the store and its parking lot. Authorities have said Posey did not appear to have a personal connection to any of the victims.

Many of the volunteers stocking up bags and handing them out at the school on Wednesday knew the victims or someone who was in the store as the shooting unfolded.

“The whole city of Fordyce is hurting over this,” said Elvis Smith, the maintenance director for the school district. His wife was in the store during the attack and escaped through a back door.

Houchens Industries, the Kentucky-based company that owns Mad Butcher, said it expected to reopen the store in the coming week, Little Rock television station KTHV reported.

Residents driving through the school's parking lot said they hoped it would be sooner rather than later.

“You definitely don't know what to do,” said Jayda Carlson, who dropped by the school to pick up groceries with her grandmother-in-law on Wednesday. "Am I going to have to spend more money on gas to get groceries and stuff that we need?”

FILE - Police respond to the scene of a shooting, Friday, June 21, 2024, in Fordyce, Ark. (KATV via AP, File)

Damage can be seen to a front window law enforcement officers work the scene of a shooting at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, Ark., Friday, June 21, 2024. (Colin Murphey/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP)

A sign in memory of the four victims killed in a mass shooting at the Mad Butcher grocery store sits near the store's parking lot in Fordyce, Ark., on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo)

Volunteers hand out bags of groceries and jugs of milk to cars lined up at Fordyce High School in Fordyce, Arkansas on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. The school is one of several food distribution sites that have been set up to help residents after a mass shooting at the Mad Butcher grocery store. (AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo)

Signs are taped to the front doors of the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, Ark. on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. The store has been closed in the days following a mass shooting that killed four people, and volunteers in the community have been setting up food distribution sites to help residents. (AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo)

Volunteers hand out bags of groceries and jugs of milk to cars lined up at Fordyce High School in Fordyce, Ark., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. The school is one of several food distribution sites that have been set up to help residents after a mass shooting at the Mad Butcher grocery store. (AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo)

Trucks sit parked in front of the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, Ark., Wednesday, June 26, 2024. The store has remained closed in the days following a mass shooting that killed four people, prompting volunteers to scramble to set up food distribution sites for residents. (AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo)