Stanley Cup Finals Check In: 1-1 Heading to South Florida
With the series shifting to South Florida for Game 3 on Monday night, it's time to check in on the key storylines and momentum after two thrilling games.
Game 1: Edmonton 4 - Florida 3 (OT)
The series started off high energy, as Edmonton having home-ice this time around provided a definite energy boost to the home team early. Edmonton immediately came out flying, with Draisaitl scoring just over a minute into the game. Edmonton’s high energy and clear emphasis on getting pucks to the net resulted in the goal, showing early signs that Edmonton was prioritizing a fast start after falling down 3 games to none last year. Maybe it was just the benefit of starting at home, but Edmonton’s energy was noticeably higher than Florida’s, as they generated far more chances early and overall just seemed much faster in transition than the Panthers. After carrying the play for the majority of the start, the never-say-die Panthers made something out of nothing and immediately got a response goal from Bennett, with some possible goaltender interference controversy. Immediately following an unsuccessful challenge, Florida scored on the ensuing power play - leaving Edmonton reeling after dominating the start.
When the Panthers scored a third goal early in the second period to make it 3-1, Edmonton was suddenly in danger of losing the home opener - a gut-punch after controlling the early play. This was the first instance where Edmonton showed it had learned from the trials of previous playoff failures, doing what it has done all year and climbing out of a multi-goal deficit. Viktor Arvidsson launched a point shot that beat Bobrovsky - a soft goal from Bob, but one that immediately kept the game from being out of reach. 3-2 Panthers.
Previously, Florida had been 31-0 in the playoffs when having a lead under Coach Paul Maurice; however, Connor McDavid can be a great equalizer. Midway through the third period, McDavid drew the attention of every player on the ice before delivering a stunning cross-ice pass to Ekholm, who tied the game 3-3.
If we didn’t know already, this series was going to be a five-star tilt between two elite teams, with almost no margin for error. The game would continue into overtime, where an accidental over-the-glass delay of game penalty gave Edmonton a power play, and Edmonton's OTHER generational talent buried his second goal of the game to give Edmonton a 1-0 advantage to start the series. By showing a dedication to physical play (and not letting Florida dominate them on the boards), displaying resilience, and its generational stars delivering in the biggest moments, the Oilers threw the first punch.
Game 2: Florida 5 - Edmonton 4 (2OT)
Years from now, when both of these teams and the rest of the league look back on the run these teams have put together over the last few years, what might be most remembered about the Florida Panthers is their sheer ability to let nothing faze them mentally. A lot of teams might have been frazzled by losing Game 1 in OT, coming so close to stealing a game on the road, only to come up short. The Florida Panthers are not most teams. Almost immediately to start Game 2, the Panthers came to play. The contest was a seesaw battle, with neither team able to dominate for any significant stretch. This series has already been defined by its stars. For Edmonton, McDavid and Draisaitl have been immense, while Florida's core of Bennett, Tkachuk, and Barkov have all made huge impacts. When Edmonton seemed poised to take the game over, getting a power play late in the second period with the game tied 3-3, playoff veteran and trade deadline acquisition Brad Marchand sprung on a breakaway and buried a short-handed goal for a 4-3 Florida lead.
The third period was an absolute back-and-forth affair, with Edmonton throwing absolutely everything it had at Bobrovsky, but it seemed like it was going to be Florida’s night. That was until Edmonton’s own wily playoff veteran who’s won a cup with another team - Corey Perry - scored a goal with under 20 seconds left to send Rogers Place into absolute bedlam.
Edmonton truly was going to do everything in its power to test Florida’s mental resolve. Giving up a goal with 20 seconds left, after losing its first game in 31 tries when having a lead, would destroy most teams' psyches. The Florida Panthers are not most teams. After carrying the play most of the first OT, with Sam Reinhart getting a glorious chance on a breakaway, the Panthers had to be going into the second bonus frame feeling good, and Brad Marchand buried his second breakaway halfway through the frame to send the series back to Florida tied.
After two games, the series has absolutely delivered on the hype. Both games have gone to OT, both teams' star players have been excellent, and there have been multiple lead changes in each game. So far, the 2025 Stanley Cup Final has provided drama, thrills, excitement, and chaos. With two games down, let's check in on some of the key narrative points.
The Rematch - The fact these teams know each other so well and the bad blood of last year has made this series way more intense right from the get-go than a normal series would be, and also probably explains why the games have been so close. Both teams know how the other plays, and there is zero margin for error. Additionally, they clearly don't like each other, as Game 2 especially featured an abundance of post-whistle scrums and intense physical play. So far, the Rematch has delivered on the entertainment value.
McDavid Legacy Watch - Connor has been phenomenal in both games, clearly being the best player on the ice. In time, it may be buried in the loss, but his assist on Edmonton’s third goal in Game 2 was one of the greatest individual displays of skill in the history of the game. With 5 points through 2 games, it's safe to say McDavid is doing his part.
Florida’s Dynasty Bid - Regardless of how the rest of the series goes, Florida’s resilience and ability to bounce back from any swing in momentum and take advantage of the smallest of opportunities will always be remembered. They are clearly showing the mental fortitude and complete identity that comes with three straight Finals runs.
The Goalies - I don’t feel either goalie has been particularly good or has swung momentum in either game so far. Both games have featured goals both would probably prefer to have back, along with some huge momentum-shifting saves. But neither has put together a full game yet or swung the momentum based on their play - i.e., neither goalie has been the main reason their team won or lost. I don't suspect that will be the case through five more games.
Contrasting Philosophies - I have actually been surprised by how physical Edmonton has been. Clearly, they remembered being taken aback by how bright the lights were last year and made sure to send a statement right away that they weren't going to be intimidated or beaten physically by the big bad Panthers. Through two games, these teams have more closely resembled each other than not.
With possibly five more games left, the league and fans could not have asked for a better start to the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals. Both teams have had major swings in momentum, star players have delivered, the dramatics have been of the highest order, and back-to-back OT games send the series to Miami tied at one game apiece.