FORT LAUDERDALE – It all comes down to this.
With a chance to have their names etched into eternity, the Florida Panthers believe that the second time will be the charm when they face the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final.
Not deterred by last year’s loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Panthers are the first team to return to the Stanley Cup Final the following season since the Pittsburgh Penguins back in 2009.
Those Penguins went on to win the Cup.
“It makes a big difference,” Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said. “Last year we learned a lot from our run and going to the Final and what it takes. More than half the team [is back]. Having everyone back and knowing what it takes is huge, for sure.”
After making the playoffs by just one point last season, the Panthers, no longer the NHL’s plucky group of underdogs, cruised into this year’s playoffs as the champions of the Atlantic Division.
This time around, the feeling is less magic, more business.
Facing high-powered teams in the Tampa Bay Lightning (Round 1), Boston Bruins (Round 2), and New York Rangers (Eastern Conference Final) en route to the Stanley Cup Final, the Panthers have been surgical in their execution, outshooting their opponents by an average 33.2 to 24.5 per tilt.
While many of the players are the same, you can tell this team is different.
“Just a lot of motivation, dedication, commitment, the right pieces were added, some great pieces were added, and just one mindset of doing whatever we can to get back to it,” Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said. “I thought the guys that were here last year did an unbelievable job coming back for the start of camp with this on their mind. We’re not done yet. We’re very happy with the way these playoffs have gone for us, winning the first three, but it's a different feel this year, for sure.”
Not the only team with a chip on their shoulder and plenty to play for, the Oilers ranked 31st in the NHL back in November before head coach Kris Knoblauch took over and the team rattled off a 16-game winning streak before finishing second in the Pacific Division with a record of 49-27-6.
Making their first trip to the Stanley Cup Final since 2006 and looking for their first Cup since 1990, the Oilers are looking to give Canada its first champion since the Montreal Canadines back in 1993.
The Panthers, of course, plan to keep it in the United States.
"We've put in a lot of hard work to get back here,” Panthers forward Sam Bennett said. “It took a lot, but we're not satisfied yet. We still have a job to do."
THE PLAYOFF BASICS
Panthers (1A): 12-5 | 4-1 over Lightning in Round 1; 4-2 over Bruins in Round 2; 4-2 over Rangers in Eastern Conference Final
Oilers (2P): 12-6 | 4-1 over Kings in Round 1; 4-3 over Canucks in Round 2, 4-2 over Stars in Western Conference Final
Offense: FLA: 3.24 GF/GP (4th); 23.3% PP (6th) | EDM: 3.50 GF/GP (2nd); 37.3% PP (1st)
Defense: FLA: 2.29 GA/GP (3rd); 88.2% PK (2nd) | EDM: 2.61 GA/GP (7th); 93.9% PK (1st)
PLAYOFF ADVANCED NUMBERS (5-ON-5)
Panthers: 55.42 CF% (3rd), 56.36 GF% (1st), 55.02 xGF% (1st), 53.55 HDCF% (5th)
Oilers: 49.94 CF% (8th), 50.65 GF% (6th), 49.53 xGF% (9th), 51.10 HDCF% (8th)
PLAYOFF LEADING SCORERS
Panthers: Matthew Tkachuk (5 goals, 14 assists), Aleksander Barkov (6 goals, 11 assists), Carter Verhaeghe (9 goals, 8 assists), Sam Reinhart (8 goals, 4 assists), Anton Lundell (3 goals, 9 assists)
Oilers: Connor McDavid (5 goals, 26 assists), Leon Draisaitl (10 goals, 18 assists), Evan Bouchard (6 goals, 21 assists), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (6 goals, 14 assists), Zach Hyman (14 goals, 4 assists)
Breakdown: To no surprise, it’s the big dogs leading the way for the Oilers in scoring. Connor McDavid’s 31, Draisaitl’s 28 and Evan Bouchard’s 27 points in these playoffs round out the top three for not only Edmonton, but the entire NHL. Able to put up points at will, McDavid and Draisaitl each have nine multi-point games through three rounds. McDavid’s five points in the first round against the Kings are the most points in a single game in this year’s playoffs. For Florida, Tkachuk holds the top spot with 19 points and has assisted on 14 goals. Leading the Panthers in goals, Verhaeghe has found the back of the net nine times, good for fifth best in the NHL. On paper, the Panthers also have a bit more of a balanced attack, boasting nine players with at least eight points in the playoffs.
PLAYOFF GOALIE MATCHUP
Panthers: Sergei Bobrovsky (12-5, 2.20 GAA, .908 SV%)
Oilers: Stuart Skinner (11-5, 2.50 GAA, .897 SV%)
Breakdown: Going through a gauntlet of the league’s best goalies already, the Panthers will have another tough test in 2023 All-Star Stuart Skinner, who has heated up late in the playoffs. After getting pulled in Game 3 of the second round against the Vancouver Canucks, Skinner has gone 6-2 with a .919 save percentage and 1.81 goals-against average. In that span, Skinner has allowed two goals or less in seven out of eight games. On the other side of the ice, Sergei Bobrovsky has been just as good as of late and will come in with last year’s Stanley Cup Final experience. Allowing two or fewer goals in 10 of the last 11 games, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner has certainly been making the big saves when called upon. In addition to leading the playoffs with a. 858 high-danger save percentage (minimum 5 games played), he also sits third in high-danger goals against average (0.98).
PLAYOFF X-FACTORS
Panthers: If the top-two lines for the Panthers and Oilers cancel each other out, the third line of Eetu Luostarinen, Anton Lundell, and Vladimir Tarasenko could be a deciding factor in this series. After switching lines midway through Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final, the third line has been clicking. With 36:06 time on ice together in the playoffs, they’ve controlled 53.76% of offensive play while on the ice and generated 11 high-danger chances compared to only five against. Across the ice, Edmonton will be counting on a third line that, as of their last game, consisted of Dylan Holloway, Adam Henrique and Evander Kane. While much focus will be placed on the superstars on each side, a few big plays from the third line could be crucial for Florida.
Oilers: Mattias Ekholm has been here before. Manning the blue line for Nashville Predator during their trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017 – a series they lost in six games to the Pittsburgh Penguins -- the 6-foot-5 Swedish defenseman knows how to play on the biggest stage. A shutdown defenseman that can bring offense, Ekholm registered 45 points (11 goals, 34 assists) and a +44 plus/minus rating in 79 games this season, and has carried that over into the postseason with seven points (four goals, three assists) and a +8 plus/minus rating in 18 games. If the Oilers hope to slow down the relentless pressure of the Panthers, Ekholm will need to be at his best in the series.
