Latest news with #Panthers
CNN
43 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Edmonton Oilers coast to Stanley Cup Final showdown against Florida Panthers for second consecutive year
For the second consecutive year, hockey fans will be treated to Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars 6-3 on Thursday to win Game 5, and the Western Conference Final, to advance to the Cup. It was a quick start for Connor McDavid and company as Edmonton scored two goals on their first two shots of the game. With the Stars fans on hand at the American Airlines Center stunned, Dallas coach Pete DeBoer pulled goalie Jake Oettinger, who was replaced by Casey DeSmith. Oilers forward Jeff Skinner would tally the team's third goal minutes later. But as the Stars had showed throughout the playoffs, they had no quit. Jason Robertson stopped the bleeding and got Dallas on the board as they took a 3-1 deficit into the first intermission. After a Roope Hintz goal to bring the Stars back to just a one-goal game, it was McDavid that came through and flashed why he is the most dangerous player in the game. The 28-year-old, three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner gathered a redirection from Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner and blazed down center ice to beat DeSmith to extend the lead. Despite Robertson scoring his second goal of the game, the Oilers proved to be too much, adding two more goals to down the Stars in the conference finals for the second straight year and coast to another Cup final against the Panthers. The Oilers celebrated in front of the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, which McDavid went against all usual hockey norms and touched the trophy. The Oilers didn't touch the trophy last year before losing to the Panthers in seven games. McDavid said after the game he was proud of his team's will all series long. 'It was a long night. We hung in there,' McDavid told the ESPN broadcast. 'I thought we played well all five games. Honestly, everybody stepped up. Everybody made contributions. Fun group to be apart of for sure.' The Oilers will face a Panthers team that is coming off a dominant stretch in this year's playoffs, eliminating the Carolina Hurricanes in five games on Wednesday to secure their third consecutive trip to the Cup. The reigning champions Panthers defeated the Oilers in a hard fought seven-game series last year. McDavid called Florida a 'heck of a team.' 'Obviously, it's their third finals. They're a special group,' McDavid said. 'We're a special group. It's going to be fun. Couldn't ask for a better opportunity to go up against a team that beat us last year. Really excited about it.' The Panthers will look to be the NHL's first team to repeat as Cup champions since their in-state rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning, did so in 2020 and 2021. Edmonton are now four games away from not only winning the franchise's fifth Cup and first since 1990, but they can become the first Canadian team to lift it since the Montreal Canadiens did in 1993. Game 1 is at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- Business
- News.com.au
‘He's quite keen to come to rugby': Nathan Cleary at centre of bombshell defection claim
Nathan Cleary has been linked to a bombshell defection to rugby union as he reportedly eyes up a new challenge. The Panthers halfback has achieved almost everything possible in rugby league, having won four premierships, two Clive Churchill Medals, a State of Origin series and the World Cup for Australia, and over the past several months his representatives have reportedly been sussing out if a code hop could be on the cards. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. Since late last year rumours have circulated about Cleary potentially weighing up a move to rugby union. Cleary spent his childhood years in a rugby-mad New Zealand household and has previously mentioned he'd consider a code switch in the future, although it still seemed like a long shot. But according to Wallabies legend Tim Horan, it is far more than just a rumour. 'You might not have to wait too long (for him to be playing rugby,' Horan said in a segment on Stan Sport's Rugby Heaven. 'There's been some rumours the last two months that he's quite keen. 'I've heard it totally separate, he's quite keen to come to rugby.' The timing of Horan's comments are significant, with Rugby Australia (RA) looking forward to the 2027 World Cup on home soil. And with Joseph Sua'ali'i having immediate success in the 15-man code, the idea of having Cleary in Wallabies colours is a tantalising prospect. However, despite that Horan doesn't believe he is the right man to target, but does understand why RA officials would be interested. 'I don't think it's the right thing for Australian rugby to do, we've got a lot of talent coming through,' he said. 'But I tell you what, if Nathan Cleary says 'I'm interested in playing the game' you've got to have a coffee.' The latest development comes after former RA chairman Hamish McLennan claimed Cleary has been considering making the switch for a while. At the end of last year, McLennan revealed up to six NRL stars were open to negotiating with RA for a cross-code defection. He stated he was unsure whether the players were aware of the third-party approach but insisted there was genuine interest. 'Earlier this year, I got told Cleary and a few other top NRL players were keen to come to rugby via a third party,' McLennan told The Daily Telegraph in November. 'It wasn't directed at me, but I believe it was all real. Perhaps they (Cleary and the other NRL players) wanted to test the waters with a few people, but by then I had left Rugby Australia. '(But) RA has to go after Cleary, absolutely.'
CNN
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Edmonton Oilers coast to Stanley Cup Final showdown against Florida Panthers for second consecutive year
For the second consecutive year, hockey fans will be treated to Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars 6-3 on Thursday to win Game 5, and the Western Conference Final, to advance to the Cup. It was a quick start for Connor McDavid and company as Edmonton scored two goals on their first two shots of the game. With the Stars fans on hand at the American Airlines Center stunned, Dallas coach Pete DeBoer pulled goalie Jake Oettinger, who was replaced by Casey DeSmith. Oilers forward Jeff Skinner would tally the team's third goal minutes later. But as the Stars had showed throughout the playoffs, they had no quit. Jason Robertson stopped the bleeding and got Dallas on the board as they took a 3-1 deficit into the first intermission. After a Roope Hintz goal to bring the Stars back to just a one-goal game, it was McDavid that came through and flashed why he is the most dangerous player in the game. The 28-year-old, three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner gathered a redirection from Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner and blazed down center ice to beat DeSmith to extend the lead. Despite Robertson scoring his second goal of the game, the Oilers proved to be too much, adding two more goals to down the Stars in the conference finals for the second straight year and coast to another Cup final against the Panthers. The Oilers celebrated in front of the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, which McDavid went against all usual hockey norms and touched the trophy. The Oilers didn't touch the trophy last year before losing to the Panthers in seven games. McDavid said after the game he was proud of his team's will all series long. 'It was a long night. We hung in there,' McDavid told the ESPN broadcast. 'I thought we played well all five games. Honestly, everybody stepped up. Everybody made contributions. Fun group to be apart of for sure.' The Oilers will face a Panthers team that is coming off a dominant stretch in this year's playoffs, eliminating the Carolina Hurricanes in five games on Wednesday to secure their third consecutive trip to the Cup. The reigning champions Panthers defeated the Oilers in a hard fought seven-game series last year. McDavid called Florida a 'heck of a team.' 'Obviously, it's their third finals. They're a special group,' McDavid said. 'We're a special group. It's going to be fun. Couldn't ask for a better opportunity to go up against a team that beat us last year. Really excited about it.' The Panthers will look to be the NHL's first team to repeat as Cup champions since their in-state rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning, did so in 2020 and 2021. Edmonton are now four games away from not only winning the franchise's fifth Cup and first since 1990, but they can become the first Canadian team to lift it since the Montreal Canadiens did in 1993. Game 1 is at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
For Panthers, wrapping up 3rd consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final didn't lead to celebrating
SUNRISE, Fla. — Bill Zito didn't do any significant celebrating after the Florida Panthers wrapped up their third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final. He got some food and went back to work. At this point, no one around the team would expect anything different. The franchise that could not win a playoff series for a quarter-century now is in the midst of a back-to-back-to-back run to the NHL's championship round. Florida won 25 playoff games in its first 28 seasons combined; the Panthers have won 41 playoff games — and counting — in their most recent three seasons. The novelty of winning at this time of year hasn't worn off, but the Panthers have simply become used to it now. The main thing — the Cup — is the main thing. That's why after the most recent win, beating Carolina on Wednesday night to finish off the Eastern Conference title in five games, there were no helmets being thrown in the air, no raucous beer-spraying locker room scene, no thick wafts of cigar smoke. A few handshakes, something to eat, and that was it. He looked at potential travel scenarios to Edmonton, where Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final — a title-series rematch from last year — will be played next week. 'I think everybody likes it right when people are kind to you and say things that are nice," Zito, the team's hockey operations president and general manager, said before the Panthers flew home from Carolina on Thursday. "But we learned. The journey isn't over and there's work to do and we have to be focused on that and keep your eye on the goal. Don't let success get in your way.' To be fair, for the Panthers, this is unprecedented levels of success. They have now played 11 playoff series since the start of the 2023 postseason — their first one with Matthew Tkachuk in a Florida sweater. They have won 10 of those series, only falling in the 2023 final to Vegas. They're 41-21 in playoff games under coach Paul Maurice and actually have a better road record in those games than they do at home . 'I didn't even think about it," Tkachuk said after the Carolina series ended. "Just reacted how I reacted. I mean, I think it was different a few years ago. I remember a few years ago it felt like such an accomplishment from where we were at one point. I know we talked about it last year. It's part of the journey. And same way with this year. It's all business, and we've got a bigger goal in mind.' So, of course, do the Oilers. And both teams surely expect the rematch to be a classic. 'They're a heck of a team,' Edmonton star Connor McDavid said in the on-ice televised ESPN interview Thursday night when asked about the Panthers. 'Obviously, it's their third finals. They're a special group. We're a special group. It's going to be fun. Couldn't ask for a better opportunity than to go up against the team that beat us last year. Really excited about it.' The mind-games are already underway. Florida touched the Prince of Wales Trophy after winning the East in 2023 and lost the final; the Panthers didn't touch the conference trophy in 2024 and won the Cup, and didn't touch it on Wednesday either to preserve that tradition. In turn, the Oilers didn't touch the West trophy last year — but McDavid grabbed it this year, trying to change up the Cup luck. When the East title series ended, Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour paid the Panthers — who won their first Cup last season — the ultimate compliment. "They're the standard now," Brind'Amour said. It has been a long time since the league has seen a run like this. It's an accomplishment, for certain. Zito wasn't thinking about any of that after the Carolina series. There were travel plans to put together, reports to look at, somewhere between four and seven more games left in this season to think about. 'I don't think that the elation or the appreciation for the moment diminishes," Zito said. "I think perhaps the way it manifests itself, it's just channeled differently. ... That level of respect and appreciation for where you are, in tandem with the hunger, you want to do it again. You want to do it again. What can we start doing now? Don't stop. Don't get content. And those guys, they woke up with 100 texts each from everyone telling them how great they are. Everyone did. And it's not over.' NHL playoffs: /hub/stanley-cup and /hub/nhl
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
2025 Stanley Cup Final odds: Edmonton Oilers open as favorites against Florida Panthers
The Oilers' Connor McDavid (C) celebrates with Mattias Ekholm (L) and Corey Perry after scoring a goal during the second period in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals at American Airlines Center on May 29, 2025 in Dallas. (Photo by) The Florida Panthers are looking to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, but to do so they'll have to beat a familiar foe — who is a slight favorite. The Edmonton Oilers and Panthers faced off in last year's Stanley Cup Final, and the Panthers won the series with a hard-fought 2-1 victory in Game 7. Florida entered as a -140 favorite over Edmonton last year. Advertisement This season, the margin entering the series between the two teams is even smaller, as BetMGM opened the Oilers as -115 favorites and the Panthers at -105. Edmonton defeated the Los Angeles Kings in the first round in six games, the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round in five games and the Dallas Stars in the conference finals in five games. Oilers superstar Connor McDavid is searching for his first Stanley Cup. Florida beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in the opening round, the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games in Round 2 and the Carolina Hurricanes in five games in the conference finals. Game 1 will be at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday on TNT.
