In a highly anticipated rematch of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, the Florida Panthers edged the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Thursday night, securing their second victory over Edmonton this season.
Nate Schmidt and Carter Verhaeghe delivered crucial third-period goals, while Anton Lundell led the way with a goal and two assists. Uvis Balinskis also found the back of the net for Florida, which leapfrogged the Toronto Maple Leafs for first place in the Atlantic Division.
Leon Draisaitl continued his scoring dominance for Edmonton, netting his 44th goal of the season, while Brett Kulak and Zach Hyman also contributed goals. However, the Oilers struggles continued as they suffered their fifth consecutive loss.
This marked Edmonton’s first visit to Amerant Bank Arena since June 24, when Florida clinched its first-ever Stanley Cup title with a 2-1 victory in Game 7. Both teams had 12 players from that championship showdown in their lineups on Thursday, making the contest feel like a true sequel to their heated battle last June.
The Panthers previously bested the Oilers 6-5 in their first meeting this season on Dec. 16 in Edmonton, sweeping the season series.
Edmonton’s slump continues, as the team has now lost five straight games, its longest losing streak since December 2021, when the Oilers dropped six in a row. A common theme in the skid has been defensive struggles, the Oilers have allowed at least four goals in every game during the slide.
Florida was once again without star forward Matthew Tkachuk, who is sidelined with a lower-body injury sustained during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Head coach Paul Maurice noted that the team is still evaluating treatment options for Tkachuk but confirmed he is out in the “near-term.”
Trailing 4-2 late in the third period, Zach Hyman scored for Edmonton with 3:35 remaining, cutting the deficit to one and sparking hopes of a comeback. However, two late penalties in the final minutes stifled the Oilers rally bid and sealed Florida’s win.
Draisaitl’s goal was his 316th over the last seven seasons, breaking a tie with Toronto’s Auston Matthews for the most in that span. Matthews and the Maple Leafs will be in action Friday against the New York Rangers.
Edmonton will conclude its five-game road trip on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes, aiming to snap its skid. Florida, meanwhile, will remain at home to host the Calgary Flames in a matchup that will mark the return of Ryan Lomberg, who helped the Panthers win the Cup last season.
