Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues speaks on Stanley Cup Final Media Day. Well, it sure took long enough. After what felt like an eternity, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are finally set to resume, and we’re down to the final two teams. That’s right, for the second straight year, the Florida Panthers have reached the Stanley Cup Final. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNjE3OTM2NjIzMjQ4NDky/img_6014.jpg] This time, the Cats are fully healthy and full of confidence following a season in which they perfected playing a brand of playoff hockey that has proven extremely difficult for their opponents to overcome. Now that heavy forechecking, tight gapped, five-man defensive game will be put to the ultimate test, as Florida will face the best 1-2 punch the NHL has to offer in Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers. There is no denying the scoring ability that Edmonton possesses. Entering the Stanley Cup Final, the Oilers have four players – McDavid, Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – with more points during the postseason than Florida’s leading scorer, Matthew Tkachuk. Edmonton also holds the edge on special teams, and no knock on Florida, but it’s not even close. So far during the playoffs, the Oilers are operating at a ridiculous 37.3% success rate when on the man advantage. They have more power play goals (19) than playoff games played (18). It doesn’t stop there, though. Edmonton’s penalty kill has been even better than their power play. Not only are the Oilers killing off 93.9% of their opponents’ power plays, they went two of their three playoff series’ without giving up a single PPG. Zero against Los Angeles. Zero against Dallas. They enter the Stanley Cup Final having killed off 28 consecutive penalties. The Panthers went into every series so far during this postseason knowing they’d have to contain a very good power play, and Florida’s PK has held strong. It’s the second best penalty killing unit in the playoffs, behind Edmonton, killing off 88.2% of opponents’ power plays. Now Florida will face perhaps the best units they’ve seen on both sides of special teams in the Oilers, with the Stanley Cup on the line. Buckle up! Here are Florida's projected lines and pairings for Game 1 against Edmonton: Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart Evan Rodrigues – Anton Lundell – Matthew Tkachuk Eetu Luostarinen – Sam Bennett – Vladimir Tarasenko Steven Lorentz – Kevin Stenlund – Kyle Okposo Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad Niko Mikkola – Brandon Montour Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Dmitry Kulikov LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA The Hockey Show: Panthers playoff beards, Stanley Cup Final preview with George Richards [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/the-hockey-show-panthers-playoff-beards-stanley-cup-final-preview-with-george-richards] The Kid LAROI, DJ Khaled to headline Stanley Cup Concert Series [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/the-kid-laroi-dj-khaled-to-headline-stanley-cup-concert-series] Panthers, Oilers take part in Stanley Cup Final Media Day [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-oilers-take-part-in-stanley-cup-final-media-day] Stanley Cup Final broadcast crew weighs in on Panthers, Oilers matchup [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/stanley-cup-final-broadcast-crew-weighs-in-on-panthers-oilers-matchup] Panthers, Oilers will to practice in Sunrise before Stanley Cup Final Media Day [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-oilers-will-to-practice-in-sunrise-before-stanley-cup-final-media-day] Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxNjQxMjA5NjI4NzMxMDIz/unnamed.jpg]
