The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers face off once more in the Stanley Cup Final, representing the final two teams left in the NHL`s cross-continental battle.
The Panthers are striving for a second consecutive championship, while Oilers captain Connor McDavid aims to secure the first Stanley Cup of his dominant career. Game 1 is set for Wednesday night in Edmonton.
Here`s a look at some key numbers defining this series:
This marks the 11th rematch in Stanley Cup Final history and the first since 2009 between Pittsburgh and Detroit. Edmonton previously participated in a rematch against the New York Islanders in 1984. Historically, these rematches have often seen the outcome reversed from the prior year.
Other rematches in the expansion era (since 1967) include Montreal`s sweeping victories over Boston in 1977 and 1978, and against St. Louis in 1968 and 1969.
The Panthers are making their 3rd consecutive appearance in the Final, matching the recent streak of their cross-state rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning (2020-2022). The Lightning won their first two trips before falling in the third.
Since Paul Maurice took over as coach and Florida acquired Matthew Tkachuk in the summer of 2022, the team has won 10 out of 11 playoff series.
Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl lead all playoff scorers, with 26 and 25 points respectively. This is their seventh postseason run together, marking their sixth consecutive year in the playoffs.
Since their playoff debuts in 2017, McDavid has accumulated 143 points and Draisaitl 133, placing them first and second among all players over that period. The only achievement missing is the Stanley Cup.
Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has again been crucial in backstopping the team to the Final, recording a 12-5 record through three rounds with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.
For the Oilers, Stuart Skinner`s playoff performance saw an initial setback. He temporarily lost his starting position but regained it in the second round due to an injury to Calvin Pickard. Since returning to the net, Skinner has posted a 6-2 record with impressive stats: a 1.73 GAA and a .931 save percentage.
The vast distance of 2,543 miles (4,092 kilometers) separating Sunrise, Florida, and Edmonton, Alberta, represents the longest travel distance between finalists in NHL history for the second year in a row. This presents a significant logistical challenge, particularly the return trip to Western Canada for Game 5 without an extra travel day after Game 4.
Duncan Priestley