The 2025 Stanley Cup Final series between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers has been an absolute thriller, thus far, thanks in large part to the fact that both of the first two games ended via overtime goals. Leon Draisaitl called game in Edmonton’s 4-3 win in Game 1, then it was Brad Marchand’s turn to light the lamp in OT in Florida’s 5-4 victory in Game 2.
The Panthers know it will not be a walk in the park for them against Edmonton, and those two overtimes can attest to that. For Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad, a big key for his team is having the sense that there’s no tomorrow, regardless of what game it is on schedule.
“Every game is one game, every shift is one shift, and you’re just trying to win your shift, physically, mentally, emotionally,” Ekblad said, per NHL.com senior writer Amalie Benjamin. “We talk about a Game 7 mindset, it’s just a shift-by-shift mindset of trying to wear down the other team.”
The sense that a game can end in just a blink of an eye in overtime doesn’t supersede the Panthers’ shift-by-shift approach either.
“It’s just another shift,” Ekblad added when asked about playing in overtimes. “You have to go out and you have to try and wear down your opponent, every shift. Overtime, third period, first period, second period, it doesn’t matter. We play the exact same way all the way through.”
The 2025 postseason has done a great job filtering the two best teams for the Stanley Cup Final, which turns out to be a rematch of the 2024 NHL championship series. The overtime finishes in the first two games perfectly sum up just how evenly balanced the power is on the table in the series. While the Panthers are winning the possession battle in even strength with a 52.98 CF% in such situations versus Edmonton, the Oilers are getting off more quality shots with a 51.05 xGF% to the Panthers’ 48.95 xGF%, per Natural Stat Trick.
The pivotal Game 3 of this finals matchup will be played this Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, where the Panthers will look to get the series lead for the first time.
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