Stanley Cup final on a knife's edge: Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers set for game 3 showdown that could shift everything
Photo by Leila Devlin/Getty Image
After two overtime thrillers, the 2025 Stanley Cup Final is shaping up to be a heavyweight bout for the ages. The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, meeting for a second straight year on hockey's biggest stage, are locked at one win apiece.
With each team claiming an OT victory and separated by just one regular-season win, Game 3 looms large. The series returns to South Florida, where the smallest of adjustments and the slightest of bounces could tip the scales in either direction.
Tied 1–1 after two OT battles, the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers enter game 3 with the Stanley Cup momentum hanging by a thread
There's no underdog story this time. These are two fully loaded teams, stacked with skill, experience, and an intimate understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses.
Both sides are near full health, making this series not only balanced but breathtakingly intense.
'It's just the back-and-forth punches of a heavyweight tilt,' said
Edmonton Oilers
forward Adam Henrique. 'Every shift matters so much… those mistakes that could either cost you or pay dividends.'
That intensity has been on full display through Games 1 and 2. The Panthers and Oilers have combined for 16 goals, yet neither side has truly taken control.
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Florida has led for over 67 minutes, while Edmonton has outshot them 92 to 74 — further proof of how evenly matched this rematch is.
'You can't make any mistakes,' said Brad Marchand, who scored the Game 2 double-overtime winner. 'Every time you do, they seem to get something off of it.'
Coaches are fine-tuning on the fly. Edmonton's Kris Knoblauch shuffled his defense pairs ahead of Game 3, pairing Evan Bouchard with Darnell Nurse and Mattias Ekholm with John Klingberg.
Florida's Paul Maurice has emphasized staying grounded and avoiding emotional swings — something this veteran group is well-versed in.
'This is so close out there,' Maurice said. 'I can find you 15 goals for the Edmonton Oilers that just didn't go in, and I can find you the exact same for the Florida Panthers.'
As the series shifts back to Florida, both teams know that a single moment could be the difference. 'It's all about staying in the moment,' said Panthers forward Sam Reinhart. Game 3 won't crown a champion, but it just might reveal who blinks first.
Also Read:
Trent Frederic could be the missing piece to the New York Rangers' Stanley Cup Run
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