For the second year in a row, the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers are set to clash in the Stanley Cup Final. This time, however, there’s a significant difference as Edmonton holds home-ice advantage. The best-of-seven series opens on Wednesday, June 4, at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
In 2024, the Panthers had the upper hand, ultimately sealing the title with a 2-1 Game 7 win at home. Now the Oilers get a shot at rewriting the story, this time, with their fans behind them.
2025 Stanley Cup Final Home Ice Belongs to Edmonton
Edmonton’s 101-point season (48-29-5) edged out Florida’s 98-point campaign (47-31-4), giving the Oilers home ice for the first time in these playoffs. That means Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 will be held at Rogers Place.
The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers meet in the #StanleCup Final for the second consecutive year, but the Oilers have home-ice advantage this time around.
How much of a difference will that make?@TonyLuftman | @mike_p_johnson | @patmaroon | #TimeToHunt | #LetsGoOilers https://t.co/3jIoKKzqPs pic.twitter.com/Mrp4sCNVju
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) June 2, 2025
It’s not just about comfort or crowd energy. Head coach Kris Knoblauch believes the true impact of home ice shows in a potential Game 7. “Probably the best way to look at that is the expectations of winning a Game 7 because that’s where that home ice really would come down to,” Knoblauch said.
Still, he doesn’t overstate the advantage. Edmonton has been solid both home and away, 25-13-3 at Rogers Place during the regular season and 6-1 at home in these playoffs. They’ve also won six road games.
“I think all year we’ve been a pretty good team on the road, and our home record to away record is almost identical,” Knoblauch added, noting that resting key players late in the season may have cost them a few wins but helped them stay healthy for this playoff run.
A Rematch Built on Revenge and Resilience
This year marks the 12th time in NHL history that two teams face off in the Stanley Cup Final in consecutive years. The last time it happened, the Pittsburgh Penguins rebounded from a loss in 2008 to win in 2009. Edmonton is aiming for a similar comeback.
Stanley Cup Final rematches in the expansion era (since 1967):
◽️Canadiens vs. Blues (1968-69)
◽️Canadiens vs. Bruins (1977-78)
◽️ Oilers vs. Islanders (1983-84)
◽️ Penguins vs. Red Wings (2008-09)
◽️ Oilers vs. Panthers (2024-25)H/t @AdamVingan pic.twitter.com/6YImgcHGC8
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 30, 2025
Connor McDavid leads all scorers with 26 points in 16 games, supported by Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. McDavid called this year’s playoff run more “steady,” reflecting a team with one goal in mind: the Cup.
Florida, meanwhile, is chasing back-to-back championships and their third straight Cup Final appearance. Led by Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers have been battle-tested. They overcame the Maple Leafs in seven games and beat the Hurricanes in five to reach the final.
Goaltending will play a pivotal role. Since regaining the net, Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner has rebounded with a 6-1 record and a 1.41 GAA. Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky, with a 2.11 GAA and three shutouts this postseason, remains a proven playoff performer.
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final starts Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET in Edmonton. Can the Oilers get their revenge? Or will the Panthers go back-to-back?
