Why Panthers will beat Oilers in 2024 Stanley Cup Final

The Florida Panthers have been here before. Hockey fans are certainly well aware of the story around this team by now. Last season, they snuck their way into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In round one, they defeated the Boston Bruins in seven games after going down 3-1. And they rode this momentum all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.

However, the feel-good story had a crushing ending. The Panthers were simply no match for the Vegas Golden Knights. This resulted in Florida losing the series in just five games. Game 5 saw the Panthers lose a chaotic contest by a score of 9-3. It’s a crushing defeat, but one that gave Florida motivation.

Now, the Panthers are taking on the Edmonton Oilers this year. Florida is certainly in for a tough matchup. But they have the talent and skill necessary to win it all. With this in mind, here are a couple reasons why the Panthers will defeat the Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

Superior scoring depth

The Panthers do not have the same level of offensive talent as Edmonton. The Oilers can put four 20+ point postseason scorers on the ice at the same time. One of those scorers, Connor McDavid, has 31 points this postseason. And there is a chance he reaches 40 points by the end of the Stanley Cup Final.

What the Panthers do have, though, is scoring depth. Florida hasn’t scored as much as Edmonton in these playoffs. But multiple players have contributed to their offensive effort. Their depth can give the Panthers a leg up in this Final, especially if they can shut down one of the Oilers’ star players. And it could get even better if players such as Vladimir Tarasenko find their scoring touch.

The Panthers want to avoid getting into a shoot-out with this Oilers team. But if they find themselves in one, they have the depth to carry them through. And it could help them weather the storm enough to be victorious.

Improved penalty kill

The Panthers have one glaring flaw in their game. They are rather undisciplined. To be fair, this is a bit by design. Florida prides itself on their physical and intimidating style of play. But it can get them into a lot of trouble. Trouble that they are not always equipped to get out of.

This happened during the Stanley Cup Final last season. Florida lost its cool on multiple occasions. And the Golden Knights were able to take advantage. Throughout the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Panthers managed a penalty kill percentage of a little more than 70%. This ranked as the third-lowest mark of playoff teams last season.

This year, the Panthers have improved their penalty kill. Entering the Stanley Cup Final, their penalty kill sits at a little more than 88%. This gives them the second-best penalty kill of any postseason team this year. The only team better than them shorthanded is the Oilers.

The Panthers will play their physical style of hockey against Edmonton. They will try to knock McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman off their games. Florida will try to get into the head of goalie Stuart Skinner during this series. But this year, they have shown they can handle the penalty issues that inherently come with their style of play.

If the Panthers successfully get Edmonton off their game, Florida will control this series. As a result, they will win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. And last season’s crushing defeat will be a memory of the past.

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