Florida Reigns Again
Leon Draisaitl said before puck drop: “You still haven’t seen our best. We need to get to our game quicker.” He came out flying, landing two huge hits; the first knocking Brad Marchand’s helmet clean off, the second sending Mikkola sprawling to the ice. The Oilers brought the energy early, dominating zone time and locking down the neutral zone so tightly that Florida was forced to play dump-and-chase.
But all it took was one turnover.
Bouchard coughed up the puck in the neutral zone, Reinhardt scooped it up, danced backhand to forehand, and dove for Florida’s first shot on goal and the first goal of the night.
Florida opens the scoring again. The crowd? Deafening.
A few moments later, Bobrovsky showed off some slick puck-handling, skating way out of his crease to disrupt a fast Oilers entry. Then came the chaos. A scuffle between Bennett, Kane, Tkachuk, and Kapanen led to matching penalties and 4-on-4 play, but neither team could capitalize.
Florida later responds with a line change that turned into a two-on-three break. Tkachuk found open ice and fired a wrister through traffic, using a Lundell screen to beat Skinner. 2-0 Panthers to end the first.
First Period Stats Snapshot:
Shots on Goal: Edmonton 10, Florida 6
Hits: 9 apiece
Giveaways: Florida 6, Edmonton 2
Faceoffs: Florida leads
Score: 2-0 Panthers
Oilers have now been outscored 10-0 in first periods over the last 4 games.
Fun (painful) fact: McDavid and Draisaitl were both on the ice for both goals against.
Are the Oilers so hyper-focused on funneling the puck to their superstars that they’re forgetting to play defense?
The Oilers opened the second with intensity, McDavid had two quality looks, but Bobrovsky stood tall looking sharper with each save. Draisaitl and McDavid were staggered to try and generate momentum, but nothing clicked. The Panthers remained poised, clogging up lanes and absorbing Edmonton’s pressure.
With just under 7 minutes left, Florida almost buried a flashy attempt off a turnover, but the moment fizzled. Then came a gift: Verhaeghe lobs a shot Skinner didn’t control and allowed to roll off his shoulder. The Oilers seemed frozen like they couldn’t believe Skinner didn’t catch the puck and stop play, Barkov corralled the loose puck and fed it back toward the net. Reinhardt was right there for the redirect; his second of the night. A goal Skinner will undoubtedly badly want back.
After Two:
Edmonton outshot Florida again (10 shots this period), but the scoreboard read 3-0 Panthers. Florida’s defense turned to offense as easy as flipping a switch: calm, clinical, and relentless. McDavid and Draisaitl were being pushed to the perimeter, suffocated every time they touched the puck.
In the third, frustration boiled over. McDavid argued an offside call, his frustration visibly growing, and not just at the linesman. The Panthers fed off it. Fans chanted “We Want the Cup!” as Reinhardt completed the hat trick to twist the knife and followed it up with an empty-netter to make it 5-0.
Podkolzin broke the shutout, but the damage was done. 5-1.
Then emotions really ran high. Kane took a chop at Tkachuk and followed it up with a whack to the hand. Game. Over. And probably a fine to Kane.
The Panthers Go Back-to-Back
Game 6 ends in dominant fashion. Florida wins the Stanley Cup for the second year in a row. The Oilers for all their talent, all their promise, fall short again.
They came back from a deficit last year and lost in Game 7. This time, they made it back to the Final... and lost in 6. This summer will be soul-searching time in Edmonton. McDavid is eligible to sign a long-term extension on July 1. Will this loss make him question his future? It’s hard to picture him anywhere else, but changes are coming. This team is so good but not quite good enough. They need to evolve to win it all.
Florida, meanwhile, didn’t just win — they made history. Their 255:49 of time leading in a Stanley Cup Final now stands as the all-time record, overtaking the 1987 Oilers' 250:04 lead in seven games against the Flyers.
Oh, and remember that handshake line? Evander Kane was noticeably absent.
Postgame Highlights:
Marchand was the first player interviewed postgame. The last question? “Any chance you’ll come back?” He’s a UFA this summer, and after a Cup-winning performance like this, his value has never been higher.
Conn Smythe Trophy goes to Sam Bennett: leading all players with 15 goals this postseason, including 5 in the Finals. Bennett will also be a UFA this summer.
The Cup handoff went from Barkov to Nate Schmidt, then to Seth Jones — a midseason acquisition from the Blackhawks who finally shined on a deep roster built for playoff moments. I bet a lot of teams are wondering where this Seth Jones was on their roster.
Tkachuk thanks all the support staff especially the trainers and doctors for helping him this season. He is asked about what injury he was playing with, and he acknowledges he tore his adductor off the bone and was dealing with a groin issue. This game is a grind. It’s impressive that he could play and not be a liability in these games.
Final Thought:
Florida reigns again. Edmonton wonders, what now?
Thanks for riding shotgun through the chaos of this playoff run. The Cup’s been claimed, but I’m just getting started. Offseason or not, the takes will keep coming.
– Penalty Box Prose