The 2025 Stanley Cup Final is changing venues this week with a 1-1 tie in the best-of-seven series. That's a big difference from last year's series between theEdmonton OilersandFlorida Pantherswhen the Panthers won the first three games and the Oilers won the next three before Florida clinched the championship with a Game 7 victory. Last year had no overtime games but this year, both games have gone past regulation. The Oilerswon Game 1at home on aLeon Draisaitlovertime goal. But the Panthers took away Edmonton's home-ice advantage bywinning Game 2on aBrad Marchandgoal in the second overtime. Here are some trends from the first two games and how they might affect the series heading into Game 3: The Panthers' pending unrestricted free agent entered the final with a league-best 10 goals. He has added to that with three goals in two games. Bennett has scored 12 playoff goals on the road, setting an NHL record. Toronto's Mitch Marner is the top UFA, but Bennett's playoff prowess will have suitors lined up. He's highly effective around the net and has ahabit of bumping goalies.His Game 1 goal as he fell into Oilers goalieStuart Skinnersurvived a coach's challengebecause officials ruled he was tripped, but he was called for goaltender interference on a similar play in Game 2. Is he being watched more closely by on-ice officials? "I was pushed and then I think the goalie kicked out my heel, which made me fall," he said. "I didn't agree with that (call), but I'll move on." He's a finalist for the fourth consecutive season but has yet to win. He changed up the Panthers' depth players last summer after winning the Stanley Cup, but his biggest moves were before the trade deadline. He added defensemanSeth Jones, who played more than 30 minutes in each of the first two games of the final and had a goal and an assist in Game 2. Marchand, the formerBoston Bruinsstar, has been critical to the Panthers' success. He scored on two breakaways in Game 2, including the winner. "I think our whole bench stood up when he had that breakaway," Bennett said. "It was just a huge play at a huge time. He's been incredible for us this whole playoffs, scoring massive goals at massive times." The voting is already done for the GM award, so we'll see if it's finally his turn. Draisaitl has three goals in the first two games and McDavid has five assists. They connected on the Game 1 overtime winner and the Game 2 setup was even more impressive. McDavid stickhandled pastSelke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkovand No. 1 defensemanAaron Ekbladbefore feeding Draisaitl. Connor McDavid is poetry in motionpic.twitter.com/67WAqMUVm3 — Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett)June 7, 2025 The Panthers will continue to need to figure out how to limit those two, especially when coach Kris Knoblauch puts them on the same line later in games. Florida has the last line change in Games 3 and 4 and can get the matchups it wants. The Oilers have been outscored 3-1 in the second period and outshot 31-16. Florida turned around its Game 2 fortunes with its performance in the second period, when there's a longer distance to get to the bench for a line change. "Our passes weren't sharp. We gave away a lot of pucks," Knoblauch said. "If you can't make that first pass, you're stuck in the defensive zone. … If you just get it out to the neutral zone, you can't change." The Oilers, however, have outscored the Panthers 2-0 in the third period, tying both games and forcing overtime. Skinner and the Panthers'Sergei Bobrovskyeach have given up eight goals, albeit in elongated games. Though some goals against haven't been great, such asEvander Kane's in Game 2, Bobrovsky made a big pad save on Draisaitl beforeCorey Perrytied the game. Skinner stopped several breakaways before Marchand's winner. "There were some good saves made at both ends, high-end saves," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. "There's some world-class shooters here." This story has been updated with new information. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Stanley Cup Final: What we learned about Oilers-Panthers series
