Lead up to Stanley Cup Final Game Six for 16 June

June 16, 2025

The Oilers find themselves in a familiar position heading into Game 6 as they look to push the Stanley Cup Final to Game 7 for the second straight year.
* The Stanley Cup will be in the building for the first time in 2025 as the Panthers have a chance to become the eighth team in NHL history to win each of their first two championships on home ice.

* Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been two of the most prolific point producers in NHL history when facing elimination, while Brad Marchand and Sergei Bobrovsky aim to add to their impressive resumes in potential series-clinching games.

OILERS AIM TO BECOME SECOND TEAM TO FORCE GAME 7 IN CONSECUTIVE FINALS

The Oilers, who trail for the second time in the 2025 Final and fourth time this postseason (also R1 vs. LAK and CF vs. DAL), face a familiar position in Game 6 against the Panthers – but this time it’s win-or-the-Cup-comes-out as they face elimination for the first time this postseason. Needing two straight wins to end a 35-year wait for a championship, Edmonton will aim to draw on their rally from a 3-0 series deficit to force Game 7 a year ago.

* The Oilers can become the second team in NHL history to force a Game 7 in consecutive Stanley Cup Final series. The only instance to date was achieved by the Canadiens in 1954 and 1955, during the only Final rematch to require Game 7 each time (they lost to DET each time).

* Both of the Oilers’ wins against the Panthers have come in comeback fashion and a third would match the NHL record for most in a single Stanley Cup Final – a feat accomplished 13 times, including only once in the past 37 years (2014 Kings). Edmonton, which leads the League with eight comeback wins in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, is also one away from setting a new franchise record for most in a single postseason.

* Connor McDavid (14-41—55 in 30 GP) and Leon Draisaitl (18-33—51 in 30 GP) are two of just 18 players in NHL history with 50-plus points in games when their team is trailing in a best-of-seven series. The only other active skaters on that list are Alex Ovechkin (27-25—52 in 48 GP) and Victor Hedman (7-43—50 in 47 GP).

* Eights team in NHL history have won Game 6 to force Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final en route to winning the Cup: the 2011 Bruins, 2009 Penguins, 2004 Lightning, 2001 Avalanche, 1971 Canadiens, 1964 Maple Leafs, 1950 Red Wings and 1942 Maple Leafs.

* Six teams in NHL history have won Game 6 on the road to force Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final, including four that won the Cup: the 2019 Bruins, 2004 Lightning (won Cup), 2001 Avalanche (won Cup), 1964 Maple Leafs (won Cup), 1945 Red Wings and 1942 Maple Leafs (won Cup).

* Panthers forward Brad Marchand has been on both ends of a Final result that had a 3-2 series score: he helped the 2011 Bruins win Game 6 and then Game 7 to secure the Cup, lost in Game 6 in 2013 at home versus Chicago, and then fell again in 2019 after his Bruins won Game 6 but lost Game 7. Marchand scored the opening goal to help the Bruins win Game 6 in 2011 and force a Game 7, when he added 2-1—3 in a 4-0 win to clinch his only Cup.

* Another of McDavid’s 4 Nations Face-Off teammates, Sidney Crosby, helped his team force a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final after facing a 3-2 series deficit. In 2009, Crosby and the Penguins pulled off the series comeback against the reigning champion Red Wings – the team they lost to in the previous Final.

* The Oilers are no strangers to forcing a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final, after doing so in 2024 (vs. FLA) and 2006 (vs. CAR). Edmonton is one of five franchises in NHL history – and only non-Original Six club – to force a Game 7 multiple times in the championship series, along with Montreal (3x; 1971, 1955 & 1954), Toronto (1964 & 1942), Boston (2019 & 2011) and Detroit (1950 & 1945).

PANTHERS HOPING SUN RISES ON ANOTHER HOME-ICE CUP LIFT
Florida also faces a familiar opportunity in the championship series as it aims to hoist the Stanley Cup in Sunrise for the second straight year.

* The Panthers can become the eighth franchise in NHL history to win each of their first two Stanley Cups on home ice, following the Canadiens (first 8), Oilers (first 4), Maple Leafs/St. Patricks/Arenas (first 4), Kings (first 2), Islanders (first 2), Blackhawks (first 2) and Montreal Maroons (first 2).

* Among the 18 instances in NHL history of teams stringing together Stanley Cup wins, only seven have come via clinching wins on home ice each time.

WHO WILL STEP UP IN GAME 6?

A few #NHLStats ahead of the Stanley Cup being in the building for the first time in 2025:

* Florida is 14-11 all-time in potential series-clinching contests with a 6-6 record at home, a 1-3 mark in the Stanley Cup Final (1-1 at home in SCF) and a 3-2 record in 2025.

* Edmonton is 23-21 all-time when facing elimination, holding a 12-10 mark on the road, a 6-3 record in the Stanley Cup Final (2-3 on road in SCF) and a 5-1 record in 2024 (the last year they faced elimination).

* Brad Marchand (7-18—25 in 37 GP) has the fourth-most points during potential series-clinching games among active players, trailing only Sidney Crosby (10-29—39 in 39 GP), Evgeni Malkin (12-26—38 in 39 GP) and Patrick Kane (14-15—29 in 23 GP).

* Marchand (2-1—3 in 2 GP), Evan Rodrigues (1-2—3 in 4 GP) and Carter Verhaeghe (1-2—3 in 5 GP) lead Panthers skaters in career points during potential series-clinching games in the Stanley Cup Final. The only active players with more points in that scenario are Kane (2-3—5 in 3 GP), Alex Pietrangelo (1-3—4 in 3 GP) and Drew Doughty (1-3—4 in 5 GP).

* Sergei Bobrovsky has a career record of 12-8 in 21 potential series-clinching games and can tie Andrei Vasilevskiy (13-9) for the most wins in that scenario among active goaltenders (excluding the recently retired Marc-Andre Fleury, who was 16-24).

* Connor McDavid enters Game 6 with 8-15—23 in 14 career contests when facing elimination, tied with Marchand (11-12—23 in 25 GP) for the third-most points in that scenario among all active players. Only Kane (7-18—25 in 23 GP) and Alex Ovechkin (13-11—24 in 30 GP) have as many.

* The Oilers captain has found the score sheet in nine of 14 career games when facing elimination, including a pair of four-point performances against Florida in Game 4 and 5 of the 2024 Final – though two of the contests without a point were Games 6 and 7 last year against the Panthers.

* McDavid (1.64 P/GP) and Leon Draisaitl (3-16—19 in 14 GP; 1.36 P/GP) both rank among the top 10 in NHL history in points per game when facing elimination (min. 5 GP).