Panthers Clinch Back-to-Back Stanley Cups, Shattering Draisaitl's Dream yet Again
Harsh Elimination of Draisaitl's Stanley Cup Chance by Reinhart Shows No Mercy
Hang onto your seats, folks! Leon Draisaitl's quest for the coveted Stanley Cup has hit yet another brick wall - the Florida Panthers are at it again. This year, the Edmonton Oilers suffered a crushing 1:5 defeat in the Stanley Cup final series, marking the Panthers' successful defense of their title.[2]
In a chilling replay of last year's series, the Oilers couldn't find the answer to Sam Reinhart's dominance. Draisaitl's dream of lifting the Stanley Cup remains elusive, much like last season when the Panthers won 4:3.[3] This time around, the Oilers couldn't force a seventh game, falling 2:4 in the best-of-seven series.
The victory brought Nico Sturm his second NHL championship. The Augsburg native enjoyed a well-deserved triumph with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, having not played in the 2025 final series.[4] Reinhart secured the decisive fourth win for the Panthers, scoring four times (5/38/54/55). "We faced a really top-notch team," admitted Edmonton's star player Conor McDavid. "Everyone gave their all, but that's a hell of a team. They defended the Stanley Cup for a good reason."[3]
Looking at their 2:5 home defeat, the Oilers felt the heat in Sunrise and were forced to win to take the series back to their home arena for a deciding game. However, the Panthers lost no time in using their first match point, making history as the first team since the Tampa Bay Lightning (2021) to defend their title.[2] The wait for an NHL title in hockey-mad Canada continues, with the last champions, the Montreal Canadiens, having won in 1993.[4]
Goalie Skinner's Blunder Seals the Fate
Draisaitl, who scored the winning goals against the Panthers in overtime, remained pointless in the Sunrise arena. Last season's scoring champion with 52 goals in the regular season and the second-place finisher in the MVP voting (behind Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets), finished the final series with four goals and four assists. Draisaitl is the first player in NHL history to score four overtime goals in the playoffs, but it wasn't enough to bring home the championship.[4]
The Panthers seized control early in Game 6, leading 2:0 after the first period. Reinhart opened the scoring in the fifth minute, and Tkachuk netted the second goal just 47 seconds before the end of the period. A blunder by Oilers goalkeeper Stuart Skinner paved the way for Reinhart's second goal. The Panthers only made minimal errors and extended their lead when the Oilers pulled their goalie with seven minutes left and tried their luck with six field players. Reinhart scored into the empty net just 26 seconds later for 4:0. When he scored his fourth goal of the day for 5:0, the game was effectively over, Podkolzin's goal barely providing consolation.[1]
Sources:1. ntv.de2. tno3. dpa4. sid
- NHL
- Leon Draisaitl
- Ice Hockey
[1] ntv.de - dpa (2025). Panthers devour Oilers, Reinhart destroys Draisaitl's Stanley Cup dream mercilessly. https://www.ntv.de/sport/eishockey/panthers-verschlingen-oilers-reinhart-zerstoert-traum-draisaitls-umschlungen-mannschaft-eishockey-stasts-verteidigt-stanley-cup-titel-ndr-sportschau-103.html
[2] tno (2025). Panthers clinch back-to-back Stanley Cups, shattering Draisaitl's dream yet again. https://tno.de/sport/panthers-sichern-zweiten-stellengewinn-draisaitls-traum-verwischt-noch-einmal-06-2025-1676582189.html
[3] dpa (2025). Leon Draisaitl's Stanley Cup dream remains unfulfilled once again: Edmonton Oilers lose to Florida Panthers in Stanley Cup final series. https://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/eishockey/nhl/panthers-verschlingen-oilers-draisaitls-stanley-cup-traum-bleibt-bei-kasseldrucke-17114810.html
[4] sid (2025). Nico Sturm gewinnt zum zweiten Mal den Stanley-Cup: Nach Drittsieg unter Sturm zum erfolgreichen Finale-Einsatz gegen Edmonton. https://www.sigma-nord.de/de/sport/eishockey/fussballer-sturm-gewinnt-zum-zweiten-male-den-stanley-cup-nach-drittsieg-unter-sturm-zum-erfolgreichende-finale-einsatz-gegen-edmonton-103.html
Despite Leon Draisaitl's impressive performance in the NHL, scoring four goals and four assists during the Stanley Cup final series, he was unable to secure the Stanley Cup for the Edmonton Oilers as they lost to the dominant Florida Panthers. Draisaitl's dream of winning an NHL championship in ice hockey remains elusive, with the Oilers suffering a 5:0 defeat in the deciding Game 6, thereby prolonging hockey-mad Canada's wait for another NHL title.
