Oilers, Panthers expecting 'intense' Cup Final rematch

Monday night's clash in Edmonton marks the Oilers and Panthers' first meeting since Florida's victory in Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

Based on his own experience of losing against the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023 Cup Final, Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk is expecting the Oilers to bring their best.

"I was pretty angry playing against Vegas the first time last year," Tkachuk said, per Jameson Olive of the team's website. "There was nothing you could do about the year before, but they took away your dream, basically."

Tkachuk added: "I expect tonight will be a very, very intense game."

The Oilers have been playing some of their best hockey of late, winning five games in a row and eight of their last nine.

Oilers forward Connor Brown tried to downplay the significance of the meeting, but he acknowledged the intensity will be ramped up.

"It's a regular-season game in the middle of December, so it's not as though it's some type of rematch for the Stanley Cup or anything," Brown said, per NHL.com's Derek Van Diest. "But with that being said, it's going to be on everybody's minds on both teams. We're all going to be aware of that elephant in the room and I think the intensity and the energy will be up for sure."

Oilers captain Connor McDavid noted that, even though the two teams are in separate conferences and have undergone change, a rivalry has brewed after seven straight clashes last spring.

"We played them however many months ago, seven times in a row you're going to form a rivalry," McDavid said. "It wasn't that long ago. That being said, it's a new year, a lot of turnover on both teams and we'll see, hopefully we'll get a big win tonight."