Oilers look for redemption against Panthers as Stanley Cup Final gets underway tonight

The Edmonton Oilers have been waiting a full calendar year for this series.

The 2025 Stanley Cup Final gets underway tonight and for the first time in 16 years it features a highly-anticipated rematch.

In 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins, led by Sidney Crosby, got revenge on the Detroit Red Wings for a loss in the final 12 months earlier.

Edmonton, led by a similar figure to Crosby in Connor McDavid, will be hoping for a similar fate as they get another chance at the Florida Panthers after a heartbreaking defeat last June.

The Oilers will be hoping for a better start to the series this time around and the bar for that isn’t set very high.

In the 2024 final, Florida jumped out to a commanding 3-0 series lead, which nearly set the stage for a historic comeback from McDavid and company.

Edmonton responded with three straight victories to force a game seven, but the Panthers were able to right the ship and win the Stanley Cup on home ice.

One major difference in this year’s series will be the location of that potential game seven, as the Oilers are the ones with home ice advantage this time around.

That means the series will start in the Alberta capital tonight and continue with game two in Edmonton on Friday before shifting to Florida for games three and four early next week.

When this series comes to an end, as early as Thursday, June 12, or as late as Friday, June 20, one of two different storylines will prevail.

Either the Panthers will win their second consecutive Stanley Cup and the fourth title in six years for the state of Florida or the Oilers will end the well-publicized 32-year drought for Canadian teams.

Check out the full Stanley Cup Final schedule below, with puck drop set for 5 pm PT for all seven games:

• Game 1: Wednesday, June 4, at Rogers Place in Edmonton
• Game 2: Friday, June 6, at Rogers Place in Edmonton
• Game 3: Monday, June 9, at Amerant Bank Arena in Florida
• Game 4: Thursday, June 12, at Amerant Bank Arena in Florida
• Game 5: Saturday, June 14, at Rogers Place in Edmonton*
• Game 6: Tuesday, June 17, at Amerant Bank Arena in Florida*
• Game 7: Friday, June 20, at Rogers Place in Edmonton*

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