Saturday’s Stanley Cup Final rematch between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers was one that fans of both teams had circled on their calendars for months, and it didn’t disappoint. Both teams played a solid game, given the 6-3 result going the way of the Oilers, especially given the two empty netters and Florida’s injury issues.
Evan Bouchard’s Big Night Assists Oilers In Stanley Cup Final Rematch 
Nov 22, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues (17) moves the puck against Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (2) during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The seven-year veteran played a big role in the Oilers’ win over the Panthers during Saturday night’s Stanley Cup Final rematch with three assists en route to being named the third star. Bouchard’s performance marked the 43rd time in his career with three assists in a single game, which stands as the fourth-most among active Oiler players.
In addition, Bouchard became the second defenseman in franchise history to tally eight or more three-assist games, joining Paul Coffey (32) on an extremely exclusive list. Bouchard has been a big reason why the Oilers have made the Stanley Cup Finals in the past two seasons, and Saturday’s performance proved just how valuable he is to Edmonton.
Panthers Not Able To Withstand Late Push In Stanley Cup Final Rematch
The 2025 Stanley Cup Champions are off to a rough start in 2025-26, and Saturday’s game against the Oilers didn’t help. The teams started slow after giving up two goals to the Oilers under eight minutes into the game, and never really found their rhythm after that.
The second period saw a big offensive rebound from the team with goals by Mackie Samoschevich and Anton Lundell, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the three-goal deficit. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky also struggled mightily in the game before being pulled, which didn’t help Florida’s effort to win the game.
The team also allowed two empty net goals to bring the game to 6-3 after pulling the goaltender to have a 6-5 rematch with just a few minutes remaining in the game. It didn’t work out in their favor, as they ended up giving up two goals to Edmonton, allowing them to seal the game.
The Panthers will look to bounce back against the Nashville Predators and hopefully get their season back on track before December rolls around.
Jack Roslovic Gets First Taste Of New Oilers-Panthers Rivalry 
Nov 22, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Jack Roslovic (28) moves the puck against Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (3) during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Jack Roslovic is a new face for the Oilers this year after signing a deal with the team to leave the Hurricanes, but he’s no stranger to facing Florida in the playoffs. The 10-year veteran was on hat-trick watch early, as he opened the scoring just 25 seconds into the game for the Oilers. He would then follow it up with another goal later in the period to pull Edmonton ahead 2-1.
The center has been a surprising yet great addition for the Oilers so far in the 2025-26 season, with 17 points through 22 games played. His nine goals in those contests rank third for Edmonton behind Draisaitl (14) and McDavid (10), which is pretty good company if you ask me.
He’ll be relied upon a lot more as the season turns the corner to December and the Oilers face teams like the Wild, Jets, and Red Wings, but I’m excited to see how he performs against playoff teams.
End Of My Stanley Cup Final Rematch Rant
Some people will say that this brewing rivalry over the past couple of years has been boring to watch. I’m here to disagree because the two teams have brought everything and more to the table throughout the last two postseasons and their regular-season matchups.
Having teams like the Oilers and Panthers, who didn’t have any relevant history prior to 2024, become intertwined in the world of hockey is great for both teams and the sport itself. The more drama hockey can create means the more time it spends on channels like ESPN, TNT and Sportsnet, allowing for the sport to reach a bigger audience it may not have before.
The games themselves have become some of the most anticipated contests across the entire NHL season, and it seems even the players know it. There’s a certain level of intensity between the two teams that wasn’t there prior to their first meeting in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, and it’s been a fan’s biggest dream to watch it grow and change into what it is now.
Rivalries in sport are always fun to partake in, no matter what side you’re on. Given what fans saw tonight, it’s safe to say this one isn’t going anywhere any time soon.