The Florida Panthers have solidified their place as hockey's latest dynasty by capturing their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship. On Tuesday night, June 17, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, the Panthers dominated the Edmonton Oilers with a commanding 5-1 victory in Game 6, clinching the series 4-2 and sealing their second title in franchise history.
Sam Reinhart was the star of the night, delivering a historic performance with four goals—the first player to achieve such a feat in a Stanley Cup Final game since 1957. His relentless offensive display set the tone early and never let up, including two empty-net goals that punctuated the Panthers' dominance. Matthew Tkachuk also contributed significantly, scoring Florida's second goal and providing veteran leadership after overcoming a torn adductor muscle earlier in the season.
Sergei Bobrovsky stood tall in net, making 28 crucial saves and stifling Edmonton's offensive threats for most of the game. The Oilers managed to break through late in the third period when Vasily Podkolzin scored, but by then, the Panthers had already secured their victory.
Sam Bennett, who led the playoffs with a league-best 15 goals, including five in the Stanley Cup Final, was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the postseason. Bennett's consistent scoring and leadership were pivotal throughout Florida's deep playoff run.
Florida's journey to back-to-back championships is nothing short of remarkable, especially considering the franchise's early struggles. The Panthers had spent their first 25 years largely in the shadows, making the postseason only five times and advancing past the second round just once. Their transformation began with the hiring of coach Paul Maurice, under whose guidance the team has now reached three straight Stanley Cup Finals.
The 2025 Stanley Cup Final was a repeat matchup of the previous season, with the Panthers once again facing the Edmonton Oilers. The series was tightly contested, with Edmonton taking the opener in overtime before Florida responded with a double-overtime win in Game 2 and a decisive 6-1 victory in Game 3. Edmonton forced an overtime win in Game 4 to even the series, but Florida regained control with a 5-2 win in Game 5, setting the stage for Tuesday’s clincher.
In Game 6, Reinhart wasted no time making an impact, capitalizing on a turnover less than five minutes into the game to open the scoring. Matthew Tkachuk extended the lead to 2-0 by the end of the first period, marking the sixth straight game in the series where the Panthers scored multiple goals in the opening frame. The Panthers' offense was relentless, outscoring the Oilers 9-0 in first periods over the last four games.
The second period saw Reinhart notch his second goal after a fortunate deflection off Aleksander Barkov's skate, pushing the lead to 3-0. The Panthers' defense was equally impressive, with Gustav Forsling disrupting several high-quality chances from Edmonton’s star Connor McDavid. Bobrovsky continued to frustrate the Oilers, preserving the shutout deep into the third period.
Reinhart completed a postseason hat trick—Florida’s first in franchise history—in the third period with a deft empty-net goal from the Edmonton blue line. Just minutes later, he added a fourth goal, tying Maurice Richard’s 1957 Stanley Cup Final record for most goals in a single game. Fans at Amerant Bank Arena erupted as chants of "We want the Cup" echoed throughout the arena.
Edmonton pulled goaltender Stuart Skinner late in the game in an attempt to mount a comeback, but the Panthers’ defense held firm. Podkolzin’s goal with under five minutes remaining was a mere consolation, as Florida celebrated their second straight Stanley Cup title on home ice.
The victory marked the Panthers as the 10th franchise to win back-to-back Stanley Cups and the first to do so since the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021. It also extended Canada's Stanley Cup drought to 32 years, with no Canadian team having won the trophy since Montreal in 1993, despite eight Canadian teams reaching the Final since then.
Florida’s rise is emblematic of the NHL's ongoing southern shift, with Sun Belt teams claiming 10 of the past 21 Stanley Cups since 2004. The state of Florida alone has captured four titles in the last five years, matching Canada’s total over the past 37 seasons.
Despite a somewhat inconsistent regular season, finishing with the Eastern Conference’s fifth-highest point total and goal differential, the Panthers peaked at the right time. Their postseason offense ranked first in goal-scoring, while their defense boasted the best goals-against average at 2.5. The team also overcame a history of struggling to close out series, improving their record in potential series-clinching games to 11-0.
Coach Paul Maurice credited the team’s chemistry and mutual respect as the driving force behind their success. "These guys love each other. That's the best I can come up with," he said. "The way they treat each other and care about each other, that's their energy source and it's the most powerful energy source." The sentiment was echoed by Sam Bennett, who told TNT, "This is harder than the last time. We just put in so much work. I'm just so proud of this group. There's honestly 25 MVPs on this team. It's the best feeling in the world."
The Panthers’ roster depth was on full display, with five players surpassing 20 points in the playoffs: Bennett, Tkachuk, Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe, and Brad Marchand, the latter of whom was acquired in a key trade before the NHL deadline. Defenseman Nate Schmidt, who was signed as a free agent after being bought out by Winnipeg, also played a crucial role and was among the first to receive the Stanley Cup from captain Barkov during the post-game celebrations.
Edmonton, meanwhile, continues to chase their first Stanley Cup since the 1989-90 season, despite boasting some of hockey's brightest stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. McDavid, now 28, has yet to translate his individual brilliance into a team championship, with the Oilers falling short in three Finals appearances over the past two decades.
As the 2025 Stanley Cup Final concludes, the Panthers stand as the league's dominant force, a team that transformed from perennial underachievers to back-to-back champions in just a few seasons. Their blend of skill, grit, and team unity has set a new standard, and as they look ahead to the offseason, the hockey world will be watching closely to see if Florida can continue their reign atop the NHL.
