As I sit here today, two games into the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers are tied 1–1 with the Florida Panthers. The Cup is still within reach — but so is heartbreak. If you're Canadian and you care even a little about hockey, this series hits on a deeper level. It’s been 32 years since a Canadian team lifted Lord Stanley’s mug, and the Oilers — led by Connor McDavid and a cast of mostly homegrown talent — are the last shot at bringing it back.
That’s the headline. The subplot? Brad Marchand, yes, that Brad Marchand — chirping, crashing, drawing penalties, and now scoring shorthanded and overtime winners — is wearing a Panthers jersey and looking like the guy who might steal this series from his own country.
And let’s not forget the flicker of hope: Corey Perry, Peterborough native and beloved veteran, tied the game for Edmonton with just 17 seconds left in regulation. The building erupted. Canada dared to dream. But Marchand — like the villain he insists on playing — crushed it in overtime.
🔥 Game 1: Edmonton Guts Out Overtime Win
Final Score: Oilers 4 – Panthers 3 (OT)
Location: Rogers Place, Edmonton
If Game 1 was any indication of how the rest of this series will go, we’re in for a war.
Leon Draisaitl played like he had something to prove after a quiet conference final, scoring the opener and the OT game-winner on a filthy one-timer off a McDavid feed. That’s the kind of elite chemistry that makes this top line the most dangerous in hockey when they’re clicking.
McDavid? What else is there to say? He didn’t score, but every time he touched the puck, you held your breath. He makes the ice tilt.
Stuart Skinner, the local boy in net, was the unsung hero. 29 saves, including a huge pad stop on Verhaeghe late in the third, and he looked composed when it mattered.
But let’s not pretend this was a clean win. Florida led 3–2 late, and it took a gritty push to tie it. The Oilers power play — which is usually automatic — sputtered early. And let’s not ignore that Marchand was in everyone's head, including Nurse’s, who took a dumb penalty that almost swung the game.
Still, we got the W - That’s what matters.
❄️ Game 2: Panthers Respond, Oilers Get Punched in the Mouth
Final Score: Panthers 5 – Oilers 4
Location: Rogers Place, Edmonton
This one hurt.
Edmonton came out flat, and Florida capitalized. Early goals from Tkachuk and Lundell put the Oilers on their heels. The defense looked disorganized, and Skinner looked human — maybe even a little shaky for the first time in weeks.
The worst part? Brad Marchand, again. He didn’t just score but he drew two penalties, got into it with Kane (no shock), and had Rogers Place booing him every shift. And he loves it. You can see it on his face — this is his fuel. Every time the crowd gets louder, he gets sharper. It’s infuriating, and kind of brilliant. He's our villain, but right now, he's not on our side.
The Oilers managed a couple of goals — one from Hyman, one from Bouchard — but it was too little, too late. Florida clogged the neutral zone, kept the puck wide, and played the kind of playoff road game that wins Cups.
📊 Two Games In: What We’ve Learned
McDavid is still the best player alive, but Florida has built a game plan specifically around slowing him down, and it’s working — at least a little.
Marchand’s mind games are real, and the Oilers need to stop falling for it.
Special teams will decide this series. Edmonton’s power play has to wake up (1-for-7 so far), and the PK can’t keep giving up soft entries.
Stuart Skinner has to bounce back. He was stellar in Game 1, shaky in Game 2. Which version shows up in Sunrise?
🛫 Off to Florida: The Real Test Begins
Game 3 is in Sunrise, Florida, and it's going to be a pressure cooker. If Edmonton wants to bring this thing back to Alberta with momentum, they need to split on the road. Win one. That’s all. Game 3 or Game 4 — doesn’t matter. Just win one.
This isn’t just a Cup Final anymore. This is a nation’s hope, hanging in the balance between a generational superstar and a team of gritty playoff monsters. And somehow, Brad Marchand.
Can the Oilers exorcise the ghost of 1993?
Can McDavid put the entire country on his back?
Can we finally say the Cup is coming home?
We’ll find out soon.
🏆 2025 Stanley Cup Final Schedule
(Series tied 1–1)
Game 1: Oilers 4, Panthers 3 (OT)
Game 2: Panthers 5, Oilers 4 (2OT)
Game 3: Monday, June 9 at 8 p.m.
Game 4: Thursday, June 12 at 8 p.m.
Game 5: Saturday, June 14 at 8 p.m.
*Game 6: Tuesday, June 17 at 8 p.m.
*Game 7: Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m.
* if necessary
All times ET.