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Oilers Favored at Home as Cup Final Rematch with Panthers Opens June 4

Edmonton’s beefed-up roster under home-ice advantage highlights a clash between its star-driven offense and Florida’s championship-honed defense.

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Players from the Florida Panthers take the ice during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Monday, June 24, 2024. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
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Overview

  • Game 1 at Rogers Place in Edmonton on June 4 gives the Oilers home-ice edge as they chase their first Cup since 1990.
  • Edmonton will compensate for the loss of hard-nosed winger Zach Hyman by leaning on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to fuel a deeper, more physical attack.
  • Florida counters with a defense-first approach led by Sergei Bobrovsky’s .944 playoff save percentage and the forechecking force of Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Brad Marchand.
  • Goaltending looms large as Stuart Skinner’s recent ups and downs contrast with Bobrovsky’s elite consistency in the later playoff rounds.
  • Early betting markets name McDavid the Conn Smythe Trophy favorite and analysts project a tightly contested series extending to at least six games.