The Edmonton Oilers kicked off the 2025 Stanley Cup Final in style with a dramatic 4-3 overtime victory in Game 1 over the Florida Panthers. After taking an early lead, they quickly surrendered three straight goals. But in true Edmonton fashion, they completed the comeback late in the first overtime period. This game provided us with an early look at what this series could look like, as well as how the Oilers can get another leg up in Game 2.
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Edmonton can continue to have success and keep this series from going the distance if they stick to what has worked against a stellar Panthers team. Let’s look at four keys to a Game 2 victory.
Keep Bennett in Check
This is an area the Oilers struggled with in Game 1, but weathered the storm when it came to crunch time. Sam Bennett gave Edmonton’s defence fits constantly with his play. He produced two goals and had five shots on net. He was always around the puck, making plays to his teammates as well as making moves on defencemen. He is highly skilled and extremely tough to handle. He had just four points in last year’s seven-game Final, so it is possible for this team to slow him down.
Bennett has 18 points in as many games this postseason, so the Oilers aren’t the only team that has had troubles with him. Obviously it’s only Game 1, so Edmonton has time to adjust, however, they better do it fast. If they want to have success and achieve the ultimate goal this season, the former Calgary Flame needs to be watched closely.
Don’t Get Behind
While saying this contradicts exactly how the Oilers won Game 1, it’s not a sustainable method against this Panthers team. As we heard many times last night, Florida came into that game with a record of 31-0 when leading after the first or second period in the playoffs under head coach Paul Maurice. That record may be 31-1 now, but it’s safe to say Edmonton won’t be winning the Cup by making that record 31-4. In other words, stop playing from behind. Leon Draisaitl won’t be there to bail you out every night (though he usually is).
Power play goal for Edmonton!
— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) June 5, 2025
Scored by Leon Draisaitl with 00:31 remaining in the OT period.
Assisted by Connor McDavid and Corey Perry.
Edmonton: 4
Florida: 3#FLAvsEDM #LetsGoOilers #TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/RsNUIpm4OG
The Panthers are known for getting ahead by a goal or two and then completely locking down their zone. This was especially evident in their four wins in last year’s Cup Final. They know how to play defensive hockey, and they execute it very well. The Oilers may be the “comeback kids”, but they have to play with the lead or at least at a tie in order to be successful in Game 2 and beyond.
Stay Physical
Laying the body and playing in the dirt is something the Oilers did well in Game 1. They’ve been doing it well all postseason, and it needs to persist. The team came out flying, throwing a few big hits to set the tone which worked effectively. It died off in some parts of the game, but was overall consistent. Game 2 needs even more bodies flying for the Oilers.
Though the hits were even at 51 in the game, Edmonton definitely was throwing the more emphatic ones; the type of hits you need for a momentum shift or a spark. Guys like Evander Kane, Vasily Podkolzin, and Trent Frederic need to do what they do best and throw some weight around on Friday night.
It should also be noted that this is especially important because the Panthers lead the playoff field in hits by a wide margin. They have a total of 863 to this point, with the next closest being the Oilers almost 200 hits behind at 687. Edmonton needs to continue the physical play if they want to win Game 2 and the series.
Win the Goalie Battle
The battle of the creases that people may not have seen coming. Given the fact that the Oilers had some trading off of goalie duties early on, some might have thought Calvin Pickard would have been the guy still standing in net. But when he went down, Stuart Skinner stood taller than ever. Now, he faces off against the man who beat him last year in Sergei Bobrovsky. Skinner had the edge in Game 1, and he needs to continue to have it for this team to win.
Bobrovsky is a top-five goaltender in the NHL, no doubt, so Skinner needs to be razor sharp as he has been in order to keep the Oilers on top. This will be the biggest key to Game 2. Bobrovsky was 33-19-2 this season coming off a loss, posting a strong .906 goals-against average (GAA) in those games. Skinner just has to play the way he has been, and his team will hit the road up two games to none.
Hitting on all these keys doesn’t guarantee victory, but it certainly goes a long way towards deciding Game 2 for the Oilers. They are three wins away from immortality, but it’s one game at a time for now.
