Panthers-Oilers Game 2 preview: Can the Cats strike back?

If Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final was immoderate indication, Panthers-Oilers II is going to beryllium incredible.

Either way, Edmonton carries a 1-0 bid pb into Game 2 connected Friday nighttime (8 p.m. ET, TNT/Max). Will the Oilers notch different W earlier the bid heads cross-continent to South Florida? Or volition the "Comeback Cats" onslaught backmost to quadrate things up?

Here are notes connected the matchup from ESPN Research, arsenic good arsenic betting intel from ESPN BET:

More from Game 1: Recap | Grades

Matchup notes

Florida Panthers astatine Edmonton Oilers
Game 2 | 8 p.m. ET | TNT/Max

Following their triumph successful Game 1, the Oilers are present -225 to triumph the Stanley Cup, with the Panthers adjusted to +185, per ESPN BET. The apical of the Conn Smythe Trophy leaderboard (for MVP of the playoffs) has Edmonton's Connor McDavid astatine -175, followed by Florida's Sergei Bobrovsky (+375), Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl (+450) and Florida's Aleksander Barkov (+1000).

The victor of Game 1 successful a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final has won 76% of those bid (65-20), including the past 4 and 10 of the past 13.

The Oilers registered 46 shots connected extremity successful Game 1, their astir successful a Stanley Cup Final game; the erstwhile precocious was 43 successful Game 7 against the Philadelphia Flyers successful 1987.

Florida has scored 51 roadworthy goals this postseason, which sets a caller Stanley Cup playoffs record, besting the 1993 Los Angeles Kings' people of 49. They are besides the archetypal squad successful NHL past to people 3 oregon much goals successful 9 consecutive roadworthy games successful a azygous postseason.

Draisaitl -- who didn't people astatine each successful the 2024 Cup Final -- scored his 3rd overtime extremity this postseason, tying the azygous postseason grounds held by Mel Hill successful 1939, Maurice Richard successful 1951, Corey Perry successful 2017 and Matthew Tkachuk successful 2023.

Defenseman Mattias Ekholm is the 20th antithetic Oilers subordinate with a extremity this postseason, tied for 3rd astir successful a azygous postseason successful Stanley Cup playoff history, and 1 shy of the people acceptable by the 2019 Boston Bruins and 1987 Flyers.

Stuart Skinner earned his 26th vocation playoff win, which breaks a necktie with Bill Ranford for 2nd successful Oilers history, trailing lone Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr, with 74.

Florida's Sam Bennett scored his 11th and 12th goals this postseason, which breaks the Panthers' azygous postseason grounds held by Matthew Tkachuk successful 2023 and Carter Verhaeghe successful 2024. Eleven of his goals person been connected the roadworthy this postseason, which ties Mark Scheifele successful 2018 for the astir roadworthy goals successful a azygous postseason each time.

Brad Marchand scored a power-play extremity successful Game 1. He's the lone subordinate with astatine slightest 1 power-play extremity successful each of the past 8 postseasons.

Bobrovsky made 42 saves successful a losing effort, the second-most saves by a Panthers goalie successful a Stanley Cup Final crippled down John Vanbiesbrouck, who had 55 saves successful 1996 Game 4 vs. the Colorado Avalanche (which went to triple overtime).

Scoring leaders

Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers

GP: 17 | G: 6 | A: 22

Sam Bennett, C, Florida Panthers

GP: 18 | G: 12 | A: 6

Best bets for Game 2

Sergei Bobrovsky implicit 24.5 full saves (-110): After stopping 33 of 36 shots successful regulation, the Panthers' starting netminder went connected to contradict different 9 of 10 successful the other framework of an exceptionally lively Game 1. Only 2 of Edmonton's 18 skaters failed to registry astatine slightest 1 changeable connected net, with six defenders accounting for a full of 21. Projecting the Oilers to travel retired firing erstwhile much successful beforehand of the location assemblage astatine Rogers Place, Bobrovsky should beryllium successful for different engaged evening. He conscionable needs to halt 25 of them.

Eetu Luostarinen implicit 3.5 full hits (-134): Through the 16 full games he's played this postseason, the carnal guardant is averaging 4.6 hits per contest. Only teammate Sam Bennett is throwing his assemblage astir more. After logging much than 21 minutes successful Game 1, there's little interest that the antecedently banged up Luostarinen is acceptable capable to wreak specified havoc. Plus, nary uncertainty he'll announcement Oilers guardant Evander Kane registered 9 hits successful the opener. That small other competitory inducement ne'er hurts, particularly pursuing a loss.

Corey Perry implicit 0.5 full points (Even): Maybe the constituent streak ends astatine 3 games. Or possibly the just-turned 40-year-old volition proceed to reap the benefits of replacing an injured Zach Hyman connected a apical enactment and powerfulness play with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. -- Victoria Matiash