May 30 (UPI) — Connor McDavid said the Edmonton Oilers were emotionally drained during last year’s run to the Stanley Cup Final, but are now steady as they head into a rematch with the Florida Panthers.
McDavid logged a goal and assist in a 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals to help secure the Oilers’ title series tickets Thursday in Dallas.
The Panthers beat the Oilers 4-3 in last year’s Stanley Cup Final. Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final will be Wednesday in Edmonton.
“I think we are better for going through last year,” McDavid told reporters. “It was a great learning experience and it;s really driven us all year. I think this run has felt different than last year. It’s felt very normal. It’s felt very, I don’t want to say boring, but it hasn’t been as emotional. We haven’t had the highs and we haven’t had the lows, just kinda been steady.
“I think that’s put us in a good position. Those games can be emotionally draining. We are not drained. We’ve got lots of depth. We’ve got as good of chance as they do.”
The Panthers allowed a league-low 2.29 goals per game this postseason. They scored the third-most goals per game (3.88) of any team during their 12-5 postseason run to the Stanley Cup Final.
Aleksander Barkov’s 17 points are tied for the fifth-most this postseason. Fellow Panthers forwards Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk tied for the eight-most points (16). Bennett’s 10 goals are the most among postseason players.
The Oilers, who went 12-4 so far this postseason, led the NHL with 4.06 goals per game. They allowed the fourth-fewest goals per game (2.81).
McDavid and fellow Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl totaled 26 and 25 points, respectively, for the most points among postseason players. Forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins totaled the fourth-most points (18), while defenseman Evan Bouhard tied for the fifth-most points (17) through the Oilers first 16 playoff games.
McDavid’s 20 assists lead the NHL. The Oilers are 12-2 over their last 14 playoff games. They Panthers are 8-2 over their last 10.
“We know what they’re about,” Draisaitl said of the Panthers. “We’ve played them seven times. They are a good team. We’re a really good team as well. Obviously it’s nice to get a shot at getting some revenge, but we are a long ways from that. We’ll enjoy this, move on and get ready.”
Draisaitl logged two assists in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals. Forwards Mattias Janmark, Kasperi Kapanen, Jeff Skinner, Corey Perry and Evander Kane joined McDavid as the Oilers’ goal scorers.
Perry started the scoring with a power-play goal 2:31 seconds into the series finale. McDavid and Draisaitl assisted that goal. Janmark and Skinner proceeded to added two more goals in a span of 58 seconds, giving the Oilers a 3-0 lead 8:07 into the first period.
Stars forwards Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz cut into the deficit, but McDavid pushed the lead to two scores with a sensational goal with 6:32 remaining in the second period.
Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm started that play with a blocked shot, which sent the puck flying toward the neutral zone. McDavid quickly chased down the puck and darted over the blue line, out-skating several defenders. He then pulled the puck to his backhand, before moving it to his forehand.
McDavid then slashed it back to his left and flicked the puck into the back fo the net, beating Stars goaltender Casey DeSmith.
Robertson answered with a wrist shot 38 seconds into the third period, but the Stars didn’t score again. Kane and Kapanen lit the lamp two more times down the stretch to secure the win.
The Oilers will host the Panthers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final at 8 p.m. EDT Wednesday on TNT, truTV and Max. Several sports books list both the Oilers and Panthers as favorites to win the best-of-seven game series.
“I think it’s been a different experience,” McDavid said. “Some teams get really hot coming down the stretch and they ride it all the way through the playoffs. For us, it’s kinda come together in the playoffs. We’ve been building and building our game. We are starting to see some of our best hockey. … Our best hockey is still in front of us, which is a great thing.”
Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final will be June 6 in Edmonton. The Panthers will host Game 3 on June 9 in Sunrise, Fla. They will host Game 4 on June 12 at Amerant Bank Arena.
