Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) scores a goal against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) during the first period of Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final Friday, June 13, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky

Is there better theater than Stanley Cup playoff hockey? Game 4 between Edmonton and Florida had everything: chaotic twists, a comeback, a last-second game-tying goal, another overtime, and Taylor Swift in the crowd as the Oilers tied a wild series.

Stanley Cup Final is the same as the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, but the early results are different. The defending champion Florida Panthers lost the opener but now lead the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 after a Game 3 rout.

Picks for Cup winner, MVP and Olympics. Plus grading the playoff officiating, thoughts on the postseason format and next season’s champion.

Samoskevich, who was on Florida’s top power-play unit, even fed Bennett for the Panthers’ first goal of the playoffs in a 6-2 win against the host Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round. Pretty good way to make your postseason debut. “I can’t wait to get started,” Samoskevich said before the playoffs began.

Just two teams remain in the 2025 NHL playoffs: the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers. It’s the same matchup we saw in last year’s Stanley Cup Final, which lasted a thrilling seven ...

Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck has won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP and the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender.

The Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers will start the best-of-7 Final with Game 1 at Rogers Place on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; TNT, truTV, MAX, CBC, TVAS, SN). It's a rematch of last season's Final, which the Florida Panthers won in seven games.