Things were not looking good for the Florida Panthers. In Game Four, the team raced out to a 3-0 lead before collapsing due to a lack of focus, energy, and intensity. The Edmonton Oilers stormed back and eventually won the game in overtime. The Cats went from having a 3-1 series lead to heading back out on the road for Game Five with a 2-2 tie.
There was a large amount of doom and gloom on the part of Panthers fans heading into the pivotal contest. However, that was all put to rest. In the first period, Florida found another multi-goal lead. Brad Marchand scored, while Sam Bennett lit the lamp for the 15th time this postseason. After a scoreless middle period, Brad Marchand tallied his second goal of the game to give his team a 3-0 advantage.
While the Oilers flirted with another comeback thanks to Connor McDavid's first goal of the series, Sam Reinhart would answer less than a minute later, at the 8:10 mark, to get the Panthers' three-goal lead back. The Panthers would eventually hold on to win Game Five, 5-2. The Cats only accumulated six penalty minutes and held Edmonton scoreless on three power play chances.
Florida executed a defensive masterclass in the second period. McDavid and Leon Draisaitl combined for just four shots on net. Sergei Bobrovsky had another great performance, stopping 19 of 21 shots he faced. Now, the Florida Panthers have a chance to clinch their second straight Stanley Cup on home ice in Game Six.
How To Watch Stanley Cup Final, Game 6
Date: Tuesday, June 17 Time: 8:00 PM ET Venue: Amerant Bank Arena TV: TNT, Tru TV, MAX
Panthers vs. Oilers Odds, Spreads, and Total
Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Puck Line
Florida -1.5 (+164), Edmonton +1.5 (-198)
Total
6.5 (over +100/ under -120)
Moneyline
Florida -148, Edmonton +124
Florida Panthers Injury Report:
N/A
Edmonton Oilers Injury Report:
Zach Hyman, LW: Out (Upper Body); Alec Regula, D: IR-NR (Knee)
Florida Panthers Projected Lines:
- Carter Verhaeghe- Aleksander Barkov- Sam Reinhart
- Evan Rodrigues- Sam Bennett- Matthew Tkachuk
- Eetu Luostarinen- Anton Lundell- Brad Marchand
- A.J. Greer- Tomas Nosek- Jonah Gadjovich
- Gustav Forsling- Aaron Ekblad
- Niko Mikkola- Seth Jones
- Nate Schmidt- Dmitry Kulikov
- Sergei Bobrovsky
- Vitek Vanacek
Edmonton Oilers Projected Lines:
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins- Connor McDavid- Connor Brown
- Vasily Podkolzin- Leon Draisaitl- Corey Perry
- Jeff Skinner- Adam Henrique- Trent Frederic
- Evander Kane- Matthias Janmark- Viktor Arvidsson
- Matthias Ekholm- Jake Walman
- Brett Kulak- Evan Bouchard
- Darnell Nurse- Troy Stecher
- Stuart Skinner
- Calvin Pickard
Scratches: John Klingberg
Panthers Keys To the Game
The stakes in this game should not need explanation. It's Game Six at home. Florida has the series lead. If they win, it's over. Everyone in the world knows that Edmonton is going to push and play with desperation, including the guys in the locker room. It's expected as their backs are up against the wall. The Panthers need to match that.
The focus and energy must be present. If not, Florida will be in trouble. They need to do all the things that make them a great team. More importantly, the players need to have the mindset as if this will be the last game they will ever play. Hunger, desire, and desperation are the three traits needed to close out a playoff series.
It's very difficult for us to criticize the franchise player. However, it has to be done. If there is one player who has been the most disappointing in this series, it's Cats captain Aleksander Barkov. His play has been underwhelming throughout this Stanley Cup Final. Through five games, 'Barky' has just three assists and a -3 rating. That can't continue to be the norm.
Barkov has never been an amazing, all-time great performer in the playoffs. He doesn't need to be on the offensive end, thanks to his gift of being able to shut opposing players down. However, his lack of production at the offensive end is concerning. He needs to have a big performance if Florida is to close this out on Tuesday night. He doesn't necessarily have to score. Just be involved with the puck.
One of the bigger problems for the Panthers in this series has been their knack for giving up late goals in regulation time. I happened in Games One, Two, Four, and Five. Even though Saturday's contest was decided, Florida still gave up a couple of third-period goals. Those gave Panthers fans small heart palpitations.
If the Panthers are to win and close this series out, this can't happen. Again, the Oilers can come back from any deficit that's within reach. Florida needs to lock down in the final minutes if they have a lead. One thing a team cannot do is give Edmonton life. Florida needs to get a lead and put them away as best as possible.
Notes:
- Florida is 14-11 all-time in potential series-clinching contests with a 6-6 record at home, a 1-3 overall mark in the Stanley Cup Final, and a 3-2 record in 2025. Edmonton is 23-21 all-time when facing elimination while holding a 6-3 record in the Stanley Cup Final, a 12-10 mark on the road, and a 5-1 record in its last six games overall in that scenario.
- Eight teams in NHL history have forced a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final en route to winning the Cup: the 2011 Bruins, 2009 Penguins, 2004 Lightning, 2001 Avalanche, 1971 Canadiens, 1964 Maple Leafs, 1950 Red Wings, and 1942 Maple Leafs.
- The Panthers enter Game 6 tied with the 1980 Islanders for the most players with 15+ points in a single playoff year.
- Sergei Bobrovsky has a career record of 12-8 in potential series-clinching games and can tie Andrei Vasilevskiy (13-9), Dominik Hasek (13-5), and Gerry Cheevers (13-4) for the 13th-most wins in that scenario.
- The Panthers can become the seventh franchise in NHL history to win each of their first two Stanley Cups on home ice, following the Kings (2012 & 2014), Oilers (1984 & 1985), Islanders (1980 & 1981), Blackhawks (1934 & 1938), Maroons (1926 & 1935) and Canadiens (1924 & 1930).