The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers are heading into the Stanley Cup Finals playing some of the best hockey of their season. Both teams started the playoffs as third seeds in their divisions and did not have home-ice advantage in any series. Despite this, they have battled through to the final with strong records and impressive performances. This article breaks down how these two teams match up and what fans can expect in what could be a thrilling series.
Regular Season Playoff Records and Team Strengths
The Oilers come into the finals with a 12-4 playoff record, while the Panthers have a 12-5 record. Edmonton leads the NHL in goals per game during the playoffs, scoring an average of 4.06 goals. Florida is the best defensive team, allowing only 2.29 goals per game. Interestingly, the Panthers are also strong offensively, ranking third in goals per game, and the Oilers are solid defensively, ranking fourth in goals allowed per game.
Special Teams Impact: Power Play and Penalty Kill
Special teams could decide the series. Edmonton’s power play is outstanding, converting 30 percent of their chances. Florida’s power play is also effective at 23.2 percent. On the penalty kill, Florida is the best in the NHL, stopping 87.9 percent of opposing power plays. Edmonton, on the other hand, struggles here with the third-worst penalty kill, allowing goals 34 percent of the time when shorthanded.
Goaltending Battle
Edmonton’s goaltending has improved as the playoffs progressed. Sergei Bobrovsky has a save percentage of .912, while Stuart Skinner posts .904. Although these numbers are solid, Florida’s goaltending remains a key strength for the Panthers and could be a crucial factor in the series.
Star Power and Team Depth
The Oilers boast the two best players in the series: reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Connor McDavid and Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner Leon Draisaitl. These stars lead the playoffs in points and have boosted Edmonton’s scoring depth. However, no team matches the Panthers for overall depth. Florida is led by two-time Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov and receives strong scoring and defense from all three of their top lines. Impressively, their top nine forwards are each scoring at least 0.70 points per game.
5-on-5 Play and Expected Goals
Despite many factors affecting hockey games, 5-on-5 play usually decides a series. The Oilers hold a strong edge with an expected goals rate of 54.42 percent at 5-on-5, outscoring opponents 42-26 and leading in high-danger scoring chances 187-142. The Panthers have been just as dominant, with an expected goals rate of 54.96 percent, outscoring opponents 47-28 and leading in high-danger chances 155-137.
Last Year’s Finals Rematch
Last year, the Panthers jumped to a 3-0 lead against the Oilers before Edmonton rallied to force a Game 7. Florida won the series, but it was very close in 5-on-5 play. The Panthers had a slight advantage in expected goals, high-danger chances, and possession (measured by Corsi For). Both teams scored 14 goals each at 5-on-5. However, the Oilers outscored the Panthers 23-18 overall, mainly due to a dominant 8-1 win in Game 4.
The Panthers and Oilers are closely matched teams, making for an exciting Stanley Cup Final. Both have star players and deep rosters, strong special teams, and solid 5-on-5 play. Given the balance and intensity, a long seven-game series would not be surprising. Fans can look forward to a hard-fought battle for the championship between these two top teams.
