Following a thrilling Game 1, the second contest between the Panthers and Oilers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final is highly anticipated.
Edmonton holds a 1-0 series advantage as they head into Game 2 on Friday night. Will the Oilers secure another victory before the series shifts to South Florida, or will the resilient `Comeback Cats` even the score?
Here are some notes on the matchup and betting insights:
Matchup Notes
Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers
After winning Game 1, the Oilers are now considered favorites to win the Stanley Cup with odds of -225, while the Panthers` odds have adjusted to +185. For the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP), Connor McDavid of Edmonton leads the field at -175, followed by Florida`s Sergei Bobrovsky (+375), Edmonton`s Leon Draisaitl (+450), and Florida`s Aleksander Barkov (+1000).
Historically, the team winning Game 1 in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final has gone on to win the series 76% of the time (65-20), including the last four and ten of the last thirteen finals.
The Oilers recorded 46 shots on goal in Game 1, marking their highest shot total in a Stanley Cup Final game, surpassing their previous high of 43 shots in Game 7 against the Philadelphia Flyers in 1987.
Florida has scored 51 road goals this postseason, establishing a new Stanley Cup playoffs record, exceeding the 49 goals scored by the 1993 Los Angeles Kings. They are also the first team in NHL history to score three or more goals in nine consecutive road games in a single postseason.
Leon Draisaitl scored his third overtime goal this postseason, tying the single-postseason record held by Mel Hill (1939), Maurice Richard (1951), Corey Perry (2017), and Matthew Tkachuk (2023).
Defenseman Mattias Ekholm is the 20th different Oilers player to score a goal this postseason, tying for the third most unique goal scorers in a single postseason in Stanley Cup playoff history, just one short of the record set by the 2019 Boston Bruins and 1987 Flyers.
Stuart Skinner earned his 26th career playoff win, moving him past Bill Ranford into second place in Oilers history, trailing only Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr, who has 74 playoff wins.
Florida`s Sam Bennett scored his 11th and 12th goals this postseason, breaking the Panthers` single-postseason record previously held by Matthew Tkachuk (2023) and Carter Verhaeghe (2024). Eleven of his goals have been scored on the road this postseason, tying Mark Scheifele (2018) for the most road goals in a single postseason all time.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 42 saves in the Game 1 loss, the second-most saves by a Panthers goalie in a Stanley Cup Final game. The record is 55 saves by John Vanbiesbrouck in Game 4 of the 1996 Final against the Colorado Avalanche, which went to triple overtime.
Scoring Leaders
GP: 17 | G: 6 | A: 22
GP: 18 | G: 12 | A: 6
Best Bets for Game 2
After stopping 33 of 36 shots in regulation during Game 1, the Panthers` starting goaltender faced another 10 shots in overtime, stopping 9 of them. Only two of Edmonton`s 18 skaters failed to register a shot on net, with defensemen contributing 21 shots. Expecting the Oilers to maintain their offensive pressure in front of their home crowd, Bobrovsky is likely to be busy again. He needs just 25 saves to hit the over.
In the 16 full games he has played this postseason, the physical forward has averaged 4.6 hits per game, trailing only teammate Sam Bennett. After playing over 21 minutes in Game 1, concerns about the previously injured Luostarinen`s fitness appear to be minimal. Additionally, witnessing Oilers forward Evander Kane register nine hits in the opener could provide an extra competitive push.
While his point streak could end, the 40-year-old forward is currently benefiting from playing on the top line and power play unit with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, filling in for the injured Zach Hyman. This prime opportunity makes getting at least one point a strong possibility.
Gareth Tenby 
Duncan Priestley