What we learned about Oilers-Panthers series

The 2025 Stanley Cup Final is changing venues this week with a 1-1 tie in the best-of-seven series.

That’s a big difference from last year’s series between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers when the Panthers won the first three games and the Oilers won the next three before Florida clinched the championship with a Game 7 victory.

Last year had no overtime games but this year, both games have gone past regulation. The Oilers won Game 1 at home on a Leon Draisaitl overtime goal. But the Panthers took away Edmonton’s home-ice advantage by winning Game 2 on a Brad Marchand goal in the second overtime.

Here are some trends from the first two games and how they might affect the series heading into Game 3:

Sam Bennett will earn a big contract

The Panthers’ pending unrestricted free agent entered the final with a league-best 10 goals. He has added to that with three goals in two games. Bennett has scored 12 playoff goals on the road, setting an NHL record. Toronto’s Mitch Marner is the top UFA, but Bennett’s playoff prowess will have suitors lined up.

He’s highly effective around the net and has a habit of bumping goalies. His Game 1 goal as he fell into Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner survived a coach’s challenge because officials ruled he was tripped, but he was called for goaltender interference on a similar play in Game 2. Is he being watched more closely by on-ice officials?

“I was pushed and then I think the goalie kicked out my heel, which made me fall,” he said. “I didn’t agree with that (call), but I’ll move on.”

Will Bill Zito finally win general manager of the year?

He’s a finalist for the fourth consecutive season but has yet to win. He changed up the Panthers’ depth players last summer after winning the Stanley Cup, but his biggest moves were before the trade deadline.

He added defenseman Seth Jones, who played more than 30 minutes in each of the first two games of the final and had a goal and an assist in Game 2.

Marchand, the former Boston Bruins star, has been critical to the Panthers’ success. He scored on two breakaways in Game 2, including the winner.

“I think our whole bench stood up when he had that breakaway,” Bennett said. “It was just a huge play at a huge time. He’s been incredible for us this whole playoffs, scoring massive goals at massive times.”

The voting is already done for the GM award, so we’ll see if it’s finally his turn.

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl working their magic

Draisaitl has three goals in the first two games and McDavid has five assists. They connected on the Game 1 overtime winner and the Game 2 setup was even more impressive. McDavid stickhandled past Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov and No. 1 defenseman Aaron Ekblad before feeding Draisaitl.

The Panthers will continue to need to figure out how to limit those two, especially when coach Kris Knoblauch puts them on the same line later in games. Florida has the last line change in Games 3 and 4 and can get the matchups it wants.

Oilers need to play better in the second period

The Oilers have been outscored 3-1 in the second period and outshot 31-16. Florida turned around its Game 2 fortunes with its performance in the second period, when there’s a longer distance to get to the bench for a line change.

“Our passes weren’t sharp. We gave away a lot of pucks,” Knoblauch said. “If you can’t make that first pass, you’re stuck in the defensive zone. … If you just get it out to the neutral zone, you can’t change.”

The Oilers, however, have outscored the Panthers 2-0 in the third period, tying both games and forcing overtime.

Goalies are playing better than their numbers

Skinner and the Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky each have given up eight goals, albeit in elongated games. Though some goals against haven’t been great, such as Evander Kane‘s in Game 2, Bobrovsky made a big pad save on Draisaitl before Corey Perry tied the game. Skinner stopped several breakaways before Marchand’s winner.

“There were some good saves made at both ends, high-end saves,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “There’s some world-class shooters here.”

This story has been updated with new information.