The Florida Panthers defended their Stanley Cup title on Wednesday night after a convincing victory over the Edmonton Oilers, who were their opponents in the final for the second year in a row.

On Wednesday night, the team secured its second consecutive Stanley Cup title in front of a raucous crowd in Sunrise, Florida. The Edmonton Oilers, led by Connor McDavid, put up a fight but were ultimately defeated by the Panthers’ superior physicality and discipline.

With a 5–1 win in the game and a 4–2 victory in the final series, the Panthers made history as the NHL’s first back-to-back champions since 2021, becoming the first team since Florida neighbors Tampa Bay to win the Stanley Cup two years in a row.

Home advantage proved decisive, with the Panthers winning three of the last four games, two of them at home, and scoring a total of 14–5 in their victories. Looking at the final four games of the series, Florida won the goal tally by a clear 16–8.

Sam Reinhart was the big hero of the game, putting in a historic performance with four goals in the final – a feat that only five players have ever achieved in NHL history. His third goal, which completed his hat trick, saw hats and the classic plastic rats rain down on the ice in a tribute to Panthers tradition and the fans’ joy.

In goal, Sergei Bobrovsky put in a solid performance, saving 28 of 29 shots, which contributed greatly to the team’s triumph.

BACK-TO-BACK STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS! pic.twitter.com/aBV3KD0hgY

— x – Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) June 18, 2025

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman presented the trophy to team captain Aleksander Barkov and praised the Panthers for their performance.

Power factor

Florida has long been considered an underdog but has quickly established itself as a power factor in the league. The final series also confirms a long-term trend reversal: there has been no Canadian Stanley Cup winner for 32 years, and teams from the southern United States – not least Florida – dominate the league.