The Florida Panthers are once again NHL champions after defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5–1 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. With this win, Florida secured its second consecutive title and continued its climb into hockey’s elite tier.
Forward Sam Reinhart delivered an outstanding performance, scoring four goals in the series-clinching game, including two on empty nets late in the third period. His offensive output helped Florida pull away after building an early lead and never looking back. The crowd at Amerant Bank Arena erupted as the Panthers celebrated their title on home ice.
Florida wasted no time establishing control. Reinhart scored just minutes into the game after forcing a turnover, weaving through defenders, and slipping the puck past goaltender Stuart Skinner. Near the end of the opening period, Matthew Tkachuk doubled the lead with a well-placed shot off a pass from Eetu Luostarinen. That goal marked the sixth game in a row where the Panthers scored multiple goals in the first period.
The second period saw limited scoring but continued pressure from both sides. Midway through the frame, Carter Verhaeghe sent a shot into Skinner, which deflected off his pads. Captain Aleksander Barkov corralled the rebound and found Reinhart, who buried the puck for his second of the night and gave Florida a 3–0 cushion.
Reinhart would add two more goals late in the third. One came off another empty-net opportunity after Edmonton pulled Skinner with more than six minutes to play. His fourth, also into an empty net, made him just the sixth player in NHL history to score four times in a Stanley Cup Final game and the first to do so since 1957.
Edmonton’s only goal came from Vasily Podkolzin, who spoiled Sergei Bobrovsky’s shutout bid with a late backhand shot. But it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback.
Sam Bennett, who recorded 15 goals during the playoffs, earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason’s most valuable player. Though he didn’t score in Game 6, his consistency throughout the postseason helped drive the Panthers’ deep run.
This series win marks the third straight year Florida has reached the Stanley Cup Final. After falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023, they bounced back to beat Edmonton in seven games last year and finished this season’s series in six. The Panthers are now the first team since the Tampa Bay Lightning (2020–2021) to win consecutive Cups.
The loss extended Canada’s drought in the championship series. No team from the country has won the Cup since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993, despite several appearances by Canadian teams since then.
The Panthers now face offseason decisions, with several players expected to reach free agency. But for now, Florida can enjoy the result of another strong postseason run—driven by depth, timely scoring, and an ability to perform under pressure.
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