Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final was a rollercoaster for Florida Panthers fans.
Things got off to a rocky start when Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl scored just 66 seconds in. Florida quickly responded with a Sam Bennett deflection goal—despite some controversy over possible goalie interference—and Brad Marchand followed with another to give the Panthers the lead. Bennett struck again early in the second, making it 3-1.
But the momentum didn’t last.
Viktor Arvidsson answered almost immediately with a shot Sergei Bobrovsky likely wants back. In the third, Matthias Ekholm tied it for the Oilers, sending the game to overtime.
Florida opened the extra period with energy but faded late. A costly delay-of-game penalty by Tomas Nosek with under two minutes left gave Edmonton a power play—and Draisaitl capitalized, scoring his second of the night to seal a 4-3 Oilers win.
The third period was especially flat for Florida, with just two shots on goal and little pushback against Edmonton’s physicality.
After letting this one slip away, the Panthers head into Game 2 in desperate need of a response.
How to Watch Stanley Cup Final Game 2
- Date: Friday, June 6
- Time: 8:00 PM ET
- Venue: Rogers Place, Edmonton
- TV Channels: TNT, truTV, MAX (formerly HBO Max)
- Matchup: Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers.
Tune in to catch all the live action of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Projected Lineups for Stanley Cup Final Game 2
Florida Panthers:
Forwards:
- Evan Rodrigues – Aleksander Barkov – Sam Reinhart
- Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
- Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand
- Jesper Boqvist – Tomas Nosek – Jonah Gadjovich
Defense:
- Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
- Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
- Nate Schmidt – Dmitry Kulikov
Goaltenders:
- Sergei Bobrovsky (starter)
- Vitek Vanecek (backup)
Edmonton Oilers:
Forwards:
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Connor McDavid – Corey Perry
- Evander Kane – Leon Draisaitl – Kasperi Kapanen
- Trent Frederic – Adam Henrique – Jeff Skinner
- Vasily Podkolzin – Mattias Janmark – Connor Brown
Defense:
- Mattias Ekholm – Evan Bouchard
- Darnell Nurse – Brett Kulak
- Jake Walman – John Klingberg
Goaltenders:
- Stuart Skinner (starter)
- Calvin Pickard (backup)
Florida Panthers Injury Report:
- A.J. Greer, LW: Day-To-Day (Lower Body)
Edmonton Oilers Injury Report:
- Zach Hyman, LW: Out (Upper Body); Alec Regula, D: IR-NR (Knee)
When the lights are at their brightest in the #StanleyCup Playoffs, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to perform 👏 pic.twitter.com/uHTX6qrjMa
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 5, 2025
Key Matchups for Stanley Cup Final Game 2
Connor McDavid vs. Aleksander Barkov
McDavid’s speed and creativity are unmatched, but Barkov is one of the league’s best two-way centers. This battle will be crucial in controlling the pace and neutralizing each team’s top line.
Leon Draisaitl vs. Sam Bennett
Draisaitl has been dominant in the playoffs, especially on the power play. Bennett’s physical style and ability to generate offense make this a fierce second-line duel that could swing momentum either way.
Goaltending Duel: Stuart Skinner vs. Sergei Bobrovsky
Skinner came up big in Game 1, while Bobrovsky had some shaky moments. Goaltending will be under the microscope in Game 2, especially in tight, low-scoring situations.
