PTI - What Does Oilers Comeback Mean for the Stanley Cup?

Episode Date: June 13, 2025

Michael Wilbon and Frank Isola discuss the Stanley Cup, NBA Finals, and Macklin Celebrini. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, sports fans, the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows, and originals across every ESPN network and service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional calls. Visit activate.esPN.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now. Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Wilbon, and I hate that I can't make it to Indy for tonight's game four. I'm Frank Isola in Indy, where I'm selling Wilbon's press credential to the highest bidder. Hey, I better get a cut.

I'm willing to pay. I want a cut of that. I better see some U.S. dollars. Tim Frank, Adam Silver, they're not going to be happy if I sell that. That's for sure. I don't know how much it will be won with that arena. With your name on it? I love that arena too, Frank.

I do. Because my favorite arena in the league, sorry, MSG. Welcome to PTI. Tony tapped out. So here to handle Friday for him is our great friend and the host of the starting lineup on Sirius XM, Mr. Frank I saw. Oh, my God.

I'm so Frankie I so. All right. I want to hear that. Let's start with an epic game four in Florida between the Oilers and Panthers last night, Edmonton looked out of it for a second straight game falling behind three zip three zero in the first and Yankeying starting goaltender, Stuart Skinner again.

They then scored four straight times across two periods to take the lead before Florida Sam Reinhardt tied it with 19.5 seconds left in regulation. But in OT Leon Drysider, won it for the Oilers, Frank, what does this result mean for the Oilers? And how should the Panthers feel? Sick, sick, sick. I'm absolutely sick if I'm the Panthers.

You know, teams that had a three-goal lead in the first period of a finals game were 37 and O. You win those kind of games. And Mike, when you're home, you have to figure out a way. But how about some of the stars of this game with Calvin Picker coming off the bench to replace Skinner, the job that he did? You know, he basically went the first four or five minutes of the second period

didn't even face a shot. Then it was 3-1. He had a huge save, and then the one in overtime on Sam Bennett, the glove save that hits the crossbar. That was one of the best games. For Edmonton to come back like that and win, and then how about Leon Drysadle? Earlier in the day, he finds out that he finishes second in the MVP voting. That guy is so big and strong, line change, one arm, holds off the defender, and just pokes it toward the goal, off the defender's skate into the goal. Amazing finishing for hockey. What a great advertisement for the sport and also for this series and these two teams. There were moments and you mentioned a couple of them, Frank.

And early on it started off. It was so bad. Now I'm going to be honest and I like a lot of people. At 2-0, I said enough of this. I'm going to get dinner. It's fairly early out here when that game is on. Start at like 5.30 in the West. I mean, this is going the same way as game three. And, you know, I don't need to see that. So it was just stunning to then, and I then watched the entire game because I was so obsessed with how the Oilers could come back

in a way that no team had in the history of the Stanley Cup finals. It was actually something, you know, like 90 years ago, somebody had a similar comeback, not in the get-up era. Had anybody come back in quite this way? But look, to come off pickers, to come off the bench like that and make that say the three-wee.

To me, that's the game. If they get momentum back Florida there by going up 4-1, and he had a couple of other saves that could have gone 4-1. And the Oilers with these stupid penalties, and they turned it around in the game. Look, I don't know that you can get a better game, not if you're a Florida Panthers fan, but I don't know that you can get more thrilling action

from first period through overtime than you got last night. night. And I'm with you. If you're Florida, you're feeling just awful, but they're wearing a championship ring, Frank. They know how to bounce back. And they seem like they got a group of guys who are just honorary enough to be able to put this away and be ready by tomorrow night. It's certainly not over. It's definitely not over. You know, you mentioned the penalties. That's the problem with Edmonton. Three in the first period. That's what killed them, but they only had won the rest of the way, none in the third period. For them to get the- For them to tie it up, though, I thought that was key as well.

Exactly. But to tie it up in that second period was big. You know, you mentioned, you know, doing that, you know, for a team down by three goals. The last time a team came back from a three-gold deficit on the road. The Montreal Canadiens did it against the Seattle Metropolitan's in 1919. Let me ask you this, Mike. How are you traveling from Montreal to Seattle? Are you going by stagecoach?

The people, what were they doing back then? Charter plane? That's a long trip. That's a long trip. Amazing game. You know what? Who knows? Maybe we'll get that tonight

because let's move to the NBA finals where the Thunder and the Pacers are back on the floor. Here in Indy for Game 4, the Pacers hold a 2-1 lead after winning game 3, two nights ago in a Thunder performance

that head coach Mark Dagnal described as uncharacteristic. Okay, Mike, does tonight feel like a must win for the Thunder? No, no, not to me. I mean, I know people like to proclaim these things. We've seen people coming back from three ones. You and I've been courtside to see somebody come back in the finals from three,

when we've done it. We've seen it in the conference finals in recent years. And so, and I'm talking about Golden State, of course, losing a three one to Cleveland and LeBron, but also coming back from three one in the conference final to win. So, you know, against OKC. So I don't think it's a must win. I think Indiana's going to win tonight. It doesn't mean the series is over because Oklahoma City would.

still have games five and seven. This is not a two, three, two format. Would have five and seven a home. By the way, look, I'm not saying, I'm past the point of worried about picking the series. Most of the season, I thought Oklahoma City was the best team and will win the championship. There is something, and I don't use this with professional sports

very often, it's word I'm going to use now, magical about the Indiana Pacers. It just is. This has the qualities of Hoosiers. My God, I'm from Illinois. next door, I hate the Hoosiers, nearly as much as I hate cheeseheads. But there is something magical about what the Hoosiers, what the Pacers are doing, Frank. There's a chemistry now. There's a belief. There's a belief in the coach who has a touch with that group. I think they're

going to win tonight. And then we'll see what happens when it goes back to OKC. Yeah, I do. Yeah, he mentioned uncharacteristic. He's talking about the 19 turnovers. What's uncharacteriorioriorioriorior. What's uncharacteristic is giving up 40 points in the second quarter like OKC did, and then 32 in the fourth. They're too good of a team to be giving up 72 points over those quarters, especially in the fourth way they blew a lead. And how about Chegeless Alexander? Only three points in that fourth quarter and an adjustment that the Pacers made. They were picking them up. But everyone's talking about the pickup point.

They were picking them up 65 feet from the hoop. That's never happened throughout his creak. You know, they have analytics and everything like this now. Today is something that maybe 20 years ago we didn't talk about. But that was important. The minute a shot goes in from Indiana, the closest defender to Chegillis Alexander gets right into his chest, which certainly caused a problem. I would go back to this for OKC. Second round against Denver.

Similar situation. Down 2-1 in the series, game four on the road. That was the biggest test for them. They won the game. In fact, they trailed going into the fourth quarter. I'm not going to say it's a must-win because I think OKC, even if they were to lose tonight, I think they're going to win tonight. Even if they do, I think they'll go home game five. I think they'll be okay.

And they know they've got to get one road win. You don't win 68 games during the regular season if you don't know how to win on the road. I think they'll get one road game out of Indiana. I think it's going to happen tonight. Real quickly to follow, the thing about the defense being played on SGA is, is it sustainable? Is it repeatable? This is what the special quality of the Pacers, I think. They have so many guys interchangeable or damn close to it.

And Carlisle knows how to employ them and win the play. And look, they're guys who've got to have big games. Halliburton's got to do that again tonight at home. But he's got the energy of that place and that, man, we've got some good Stanley Cup and NBA playoff finals going on right now. And now to the second round of the United States Open. Among the morning player, Scotty Sheffler failed to make a move, who finished plus one on the day, plus four for the tournament right now. Meanwhile, Sam Burns, who finished second last week in Canada in that playoff, fired a 5 under 65, and is the leader in the clubhouse at minus three.

Frank, your thoughts on what we've seen so far today in Western DA? Where are the A-listers? I'm looking for the A-listers here. You know, Dustin Johnson didn't make the cut. Justin Thomas didn't make the cut. So I don't know. You tell me, Mike, when you're sitting there on Sunday, it's Father's Day, late in the afternoon. No basketball that night, the game five will be played on a Monday. Monday.

How many people are going to be tuning in if we don't see those big names? And we've seen this before in the U.S. O. But look at some of the names. Windham Chase, Webb Simpson, Gary Woodland, they've won the U.S. Open. You want to see Scottie Sheffler, Bryson DeShambeau, Brooks Kepp, Wendy Clark. Yeah, you want to see the big names. And right now, this tournament doesn't have it. Scotty Sheffler, by the way, six bogeys in the first round. Second round today, five bogeys, but he did have four birdies,

so he's really struggling in Pittsburgh. The big name is Oakmont. That's the big name. The big name is a golf course because it's humbling some of those guys. Like people should stop right now, slow your roll on chisling Scotty Schaeffler's face onto Mount Rushmore. Just chill on that. Just slow your roll. All the analysts out there and all the people who want to proclaims.

Scotty Sheffler's great. He's not going into any sentence with me for probably a couple of more years, if ever with Jack and Tiger, Tiger and Jack, not for me. And, you know, it's interesting. Bryson D. Chambos won a couple of these things. Struggling, struggling with the rough, as big and as strong as he is, five and a half inch rough will take you down. So the star is the golf course.

And Frank, we knew that. We knew that going in. And it looks different than it's looked over the past hundred years because of getting all the trees out of there. It looks beautiful to me. And I'm sorry, I don't need the stars. You sound like the seat you're in, proverbial, has been infected by Cornheiser

because you're star obsessed, you New Yorkers. The star is the Western Pennsylvania Golf Course, Oakmont. That's the star. We're taking a break. Maybe it'll change. It's going to rain. The Knicks have reportedly turned their attention away from hit coaches who actually have jobs, right now. What's the word for that?

And how to best describe Jacob Mizorowski's unusual first start in the major league? Wait until you see this. I saw it. I saw it last night. The golf coach. Another guy in my division who's great. I don't like it. Time to fill in some blanks.

Just fill in Frank. What's first? It's blank that the Knicks are reportedly pursuing Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins. Frank, when I first heard about this, I knew you were having an eye role for us. It's just amazing that now the Knicks, who apparently said their owner did this, and it leaves the executives going, why, what are we going to do now? But my word is perhaps

fortuitous, believe it or not, because Mike Brown is one coach of the year twice. Mike Brown, not some chumpy, not just some dude. Taylor Jenkins, I know he doesn't have the, you know, sort of rah-rah, the halo around his name, where his reputation. I think he's probably right at 500, but he's had some knucklehead teams in Memphis that have still won some games have been a threat. And God knows if those players were responsible how far they might have gotten with Jenkins, who seems to me to be a damn good coach. So perhaps fortuitous. The Knicks could luck into somebody if they don't get one of the, you know, the glittering resumes that they're going after and told, no, stay away from my coach. That's why I'm going to go with smokescreen on this one.

On this program, this show is the first to say that Jason Kidd was the person of interest for the New York Knicks. I still think that's the case. You're right about this. You get Taylor Jenkins, terrific coach. Absolutely. John Morant didn't want them anymore in Memphis. That's why they got rid of them, which was unfair.

And then Mike Brown, excellent coach, where he also got a raw deal in Sacramento. So I think the Knicks are going to end up clearly with a good coach. because there guys out there. What I like, at least with Taylor Jenkins and Mike Brown, they call two guys that aren't currently head coaches. I don't understand when your coaching searches, let's call Dallas, we'll call Houston, we'll call Chicago, we'll call Atlanta.

You might as well call Eric Spolster. You might as well call Steve Kerr. I mean, I think it's all smokescreen. I think they want Jason Kidd, but like you said, you end up with Taylor Jenkins, you end up with Mike Brown. You could do a lot worse. No doubt, Frank. And yes, they want Jason Kitt, and they probably are stunned,

not knowing what the situation is in Dallas anywhere with all the variables they have, that somebody would say no. And then they're in this predicament. The Knicks could luck out here by getting either one of those guys or there's some other candidates as well out there who should be given a head coaching job, I think, who've earned it. What's next? Jacob Mizorowski's Major League debut was blank.

Frank, it was Hobbsian. It's fictional. so great. I mean, this kid who's like six foot seven, he's from Missouri, because he's going show me. He had every his people in the stands. He throws it 100 miles an hour, 14 pitches in all over 100 in five innings plus four walks, six strikeouts. His first three pitches over 100. He goes to 102 at one point. And when he's up in the zone, people have no chance. I actually watch this. And he sprains his ankle. He rolls his ankle like he's in Madison's Square Garden and he's in an NBA playoff game.

And at 6-7, he's bigger than half the, you know, the Warriors. It's amazing. Look, this kid's talent is amazing. He has such appeal to watch him. He looks like he's nine years old. Looks like Opie Taylor, for those of us of a certain generation. I hate him already because he's a cheesehead. And I got to deal with schemes.

Yeah. Who I'm talking about my special correspondent and Ridley is tied up the Cubs today with nothing giving him not. And this kid, too, in the same division? It's Hobbsian. I hate this. Yeah. Look, Mike, in your rearview mirror, that's the Brewers.

Five and a half back right now. So watch out. Five and a half back of your Chicago's Cubs. I'm going to go with adrenaline fuel because of what you mentioned with how hard he was throwing the ball. And how about the fifth pitch, 102.2.2, coincidentally enough, that's Mike's favorite jazz station in Chicago, 102.2. But he almost threw himself out of his body. His legs started hurting him.

I mean, he was firing on all cylinders. You know, Paul Skeens last year, his debut, he went four innings, six hits, three runs. He topped out at 101.9. So this debut was even better than what Skeens did last year for Pittsburgh. So you know what? I still remember, believe it or not, Mike, when Dwight Gooden made his debut and how much excitement there was around. Now, back then, they let the guys go seven or maybe eight innings.

But it's always great to see a guy that. could throw like that. The only thing is, are we going to be worried? Eventually, if we hear that name, Tommy John, that's what you have to pray doesn't happen. Frank, real quick, to just put a cap on this, I thought though watching him, and I watched every pitch

that he threw, he's that he can pitch. It's not just throwing. I don't want to hear the word Tommy John either. I had it for a cheese head. I didn't wish him down on anybody. And this kid just has such appeal. But Frank, he was pitching. He's locating. He's

He's doing things we associate with maybe Doc Gooden, 35 years ago. I don't think it was just adrenaline and just hurling, you know? And that's what the really scary thing is, the promising thing, if you're the Brewers. Thanks. That's the final word. Let's take one break. Still to come, is Kevin Durant on the verge of being dealt?

And Caitlin Clark, she's ready to return tomorrow. By the way, his family was there in the stands. They had shirts that said, here for the Miz. He's going to cause a lot of nightmares for you. Time to get happy, people. Happy 19th birthday, Macblin Celebrini. The Sharks took the forward with the first pick in last year's NHL draft, and the rookie delivered 63 points over 70 games, including 25 goals.

Celebrity finished third and rookie of the year voting behind Canadians' defenseman Lane Hudson and flames goalie Dustin Wolf. Celebrini is the son of Rick Celebrity, Director of Sports Medicine and Performance for the Warriors. Macklin, Celebrini, was born nearly five years after Frank, the first episode of PTI. I don't want to cause any trouble, but Celebrini or Conor Bredard? Who would you take right now? Be honest. Right now, they both, their teams are still bad.

I'll stay with Connor Bidart. I will. Happy anniversary, Michael Jeffrey Jordan. On this day in 1997, you kicked the ball out to Steve Kerr in the final episode. I'm sorry. sorry, final seconds of game six against the Jazz, Kerr then hit the shot that sealed the Bulls' fifth title, saying of it, quote,

I thought to myself, well, I guess I got a bail Michael out again, close quote. A year and a day after that, Jordan finished off the last dance, speaking of episodes, and Utah on his own, some might say pushing aside Brian Russell, but I won't say that in hitting one of the most iconic shots in basketball history. I wrote in the Washington Post, quote, if that jump shot is to be the final shot of Jordan's incomparable career, it was the perfect Cota, close quote. I was pretty good back then, Frank.

And in the mind of this Bulls fan, it stands as such, despite Jordan's two-year comeback with the Wizards. I was sitting right near you for that game. And since we're giving, you know, we had to hear what you wrote, I wrote for the New York Daily News. If this was Jordan's last act, he gave us a game for the ages and a thrilling last minute sequence that ranks among the goals. greatest moments in NBA finalist history. We kind of knew something was up. We knew something was up. No, we did enough backpadding in that segment. We'll move on to Happy Trails to the Nuggets for Russell Westbrook, question mark, question mark. The Denver Post and Shams report the Westbrook plans to turn down his one-year-

$3.4 million dollar option, player option, and explore free agency. 36-year-old average 13.6 dimes and five boards in his loan season. in Denver where he mostly backed up Jamal Murray. One caveat here, the vet minimum is expected to exceed 3.4 mil, so Russ could potentially return to the Nuggets for more money, even if he signs for the vet minimum. Why wouldn't he want to be back? He had a terrific year. He absolutely should go back to Denver and play with Yokic. All right, here we go. We got to rush through the big finish. Shams again is reporting that the Kevin Durant trade could happen in the next few days. Are you excited? It's going to have.

Happen, Rockets, Heat, maybe the Timberwolves, Winnipeg goalie, Connor Hellebuck won the Vesna and Hart trophies last night. Is that a big deal? How dumb is it to have that awards tonight against one of the great games in your sports history? Who knew about the other thing? Barring a setback, Caitlin Clark is reportedly ready to return to the fever tomorrow against the Liberty. That's significant, isn't it? Liberty are undefeated. They're undefeated.

Caitlin Clark's going to play. I might stick around to watch it. The Giants visit the Dodgers for three starting tonight. Is that a big deal? Huge deal. One game separating those two at the top of the NL. West. Last one, soccer's Gold Cup this weekend. Any predictions?

I'm going with what your guest yesterday said. The U.S. better get to the final. One-one tie on Sunday. Right of time. Thanks for watching. I'm Frank Isola. I'm Mike Wilbon. Have a great weekend knuckleheads.

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