The 2024 Stanley Cup Final, the series so nice we’re playing it twice.
That’s the result of the two conference finals that ended over the past couple evenings.
First, it was Florida punching their ticket to the Final with a 5-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final on Wednesday night in Raleigh.
Then on Thursday, the Oilers completed their five-game series win over the Dallas Stars with a 6-3 victory at American Airlines Center.
As if last season’s seven-game marathon wasn’t entertaining enough, now we get to do it all again, and it’s very possible that both teams are even better this year than they were in 2024.
During the regular season, the Panthers and Oilers met twice, once in the other’s barn.
Florida won both games, a pair of exciting, one-goal affairs.
The first meeting was in Edmonton back in December, a 6-5 Panthers win, and then again in Sunrise in late February by a final score of 4-3.
In the first game, Florida came back from a 4-2 second period deficit, scoring three goals in the third while breaking a pair of ties to earn the two points.
There was no comeback needed when the two Finalists met in South Florida a couple months later, as Florida scored first and never trailed, again outscoring the Oilers in the third period en route to the win.
Leading the Panthers in points during the two games against Edmonton was Anton Lundell, with a goal and four assist.
Each of Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart and Aaron Ekblad each logged three points against the Oilers: Verhaeghe scored twice and Reinhart once, while all of Ekblad’s points were assists.
Looking at how each team has done so far during the postseason, it’s no big surprised they are facing each other again.
The Cats and Oilers are the two highest scoring teams in the postseason, with Edmonton averaging 3.93 goals per game and Florida putting up 3.88.
Defensively, Florida has been the stingiest team in the playoffs, allowing just 2.29 goals per game. Edmonton isn’t far behind, giving up 2.80.
The power plays for each team are ranked 1-2, with the Oilers executing at a 29.0% success rate and the Panthers holding a respectable 23.2%.
Florida’s penalty kill is now the top unit in the playoffs, having successfully wiped-out 87.9 percent of their opponents power plays.
Edmonton’s kill hasn’t been nearly as effective, operating at a 66.7% success rate.
We’ll see how all this plays out when the Stanley Cup Final begins next week.
Game 1 is set for Wednesday, June 4 in Edmonton.
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Photo caption: Jun 24, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) defends against Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) during the third period in game seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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