NHL Playoff Shock: Underdog Team Seals Game 7 Victory with Buzzer-Beater Goal

Sunrise, Fla. — All eyes in the hockey world turn to Amerant Bank Arena tonight as the Florida Panthers host the Edmonton Oilers in pivotal Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. Florida carries a 3-2 series edge and can clinch back-to-back championships on home ice, while Edmonton, powered by superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, fights to force a winner-take-all Game 7 in Alberta on June 20. The puck drops at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+, Sportsnet and TVA Sports, with cord-cutters able to stream via Sling TV, DirecTV Stream and Max. Key storylines • Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (1.88 GAA, .934 SV% this postseason) looks to outduel Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner, who rebounded with a 32-save performance in Edmonton’s 4-2 Game 5 win. • Sam Reinhart and Matthew Tkachuk pace Florida’s relentless forecheck; McDavid (28 PTS) enters one point shy of tying Wayne Gretzky’s single-postseason assist record. • The Conn Smythe Trophy race has narrowed to Bobrovsky, McDavid and Panthers two-way center Aleksander Barkov. A Florida victory would likely make Bobrovsky the first repeat goaltending winner since Patrick Roy in 2001. • If Edmonton prevails, Game 7 shifts to Rogers Place, where the Oilers are 8-3 this spring. Why this game matters beyond the Cup Tonight’s outcome will influence multiple 2025-26 storylines. Edmonton faces a looming salary-cap crunch with Draisaitl entering his walk year; a championship could cement management’s push to “run it back.” Florida, meanwhile, could become the NHL’s first repeat champion since the 2016-17 Pittsburgh Penguins—fitting as Penguins icon Evgeni Malkin has announced the upcoming season will be his last in black and gold. A second Panthers title also strengthens the Atlantic Division’s stranglehold on recent Cups, placing extra pressure on Metro favorites Carolina and New Jersey. Draft and Olympic ripple effects Scouts from all 32 clubs will descend on Los Angeles for the June 27-28 NHL Draft at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater, where consensus top pick Gavin McKenna interviews have already intensified. Several first-round hopefuls are expected to attend tonight’s game, soaking in playoff intensity before hearing their names called later this month. The Final also doubles as an Olympic audition: seven players in the series appear on preliminary rosters for Milano Cortina 2026, heightening every shift’s scrutiny. How to follow Live television: ESPN (U.S.), Sportsnet/CBC (Canada), TVA Sports (French). Streaming: ESPN+, Sling TV (promo 50% off first month), DirecTV Stream five-day trial, Max’s B/R Sports Add-On. Radio: SiriusXM NHL Network Radio Ch. 91. Digital: Real-time highlights and interactive shot maps on NHL.com’s live blog and Yahoo Sports’ minute-by-minute tracker. SEO-friendly tips for fans Search phrases such as “Panthers vs Oilers Game 6 live stream,” “how to watch Stanley Cup Final without cable,” “Connor McDavid highlights,” “Stanley Cup Final schedule,” and “2025 NHL Draft order” will surface the latest articles, videos and ticket portals as the action unfolds. Whether Bobrovsky hoists the Cup tonight or McDavid extends Edmonton’s dream, Game 6 promises edge-of-your-seat drama that only June hockey delivers.