Panthers vs Oilers Game 1 Live: Start Time, Channel, Odds & How to Watch the Stanley Cup Final Tonight

Hockey fans are getting an instant sequel: the 2025 Stanley Cup Final opens tonight with the Florida Panthers visiting the Edmonton Oilers, a rematch of last season’s seven-game classic. Face-off is set for 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. local) at Rogers Place in Edmonton and will air nationally on TNT in the U.S. and Sportsnet/CBC in Canada. The Backstory • Florida edged Edmonton in Game 7 last June to capture the franchise’s first Cup, erasing a 3-2 series deficit after Connor McDavid’s Oilers stormed back from 0-2. • Both clubs retooled but stayed elite: the Panthers cruised through the Eastern bracket at 12-4, while the Oilers rattled off a 6-1 road record en route to winning the West. • This is only the 11th Final rematch in NHL history and the second in the past 40 years, adding extra intrigue for neutral viewers. How to Watch & Stream • TV: TNT, TBS, TruTV (U.S.); Sportsnet/CBC (Canada) • Streaming: Max’s B/R Sports add-on (U.S.), SN NOW (Canada) • Radio: Sports USA, 630 CHED, 560 WQAM Series Schedule (All times ET) Game 1: Wed 6/4 8 p.m. — at EDM Game 2: Fri 6/6 8 p.m. — at EDM Game 3: Mon 6/9 8 p.m. — at FLA Game 4: Wed 6/11 8 p.m. — at FLA *Games 5-7 if necessary: 6/13, 6/17, 6/20* Key Matchups 1. Connor McDavid vs Aleksander Barkov McDavid’s 31 playoff points lead all skaters, but Barkov’s Selke-level defense frustrated him last June. Whoever dictates pace down the middle could tilt the series. 2. Oilers’ Power Play vs Panthers’ Penalty Kill Edmonton is converting at 28.6 percent, while Florida is killing 86.5 percent and already shut down top-10 units from Tampa and Carolina. 3. Sergei Bobrovsky vs Stuart Skinner Bobrovsky (.921) owns a statistical edge but Skinner (.909) has bounced back after an early-round benching. First goal may decide tight games in this heavyweight duel. Players to Watch • Matthew Tkachuk: energizer with 22 playoff points and a knack for late-game heroics. • Evan Bouchard: quarterback of Edmonton’s top unit, averaging 26 minutes a night. • Carter Verhaeghe: leads Florida with eight goals; two were series-winners. Betting Snapshot The Oilers opened as –125 series favorites, with the Panthers at +105 underdogs. Game 1 has Edmonton –130 on home ice and an over/under of 6 goals. Prediction Expect a track-meet opener before both coaches tighten screws. Florida’s depth scoring and Bobrovsky’s playoff poise give the Panthers a slight Game 1 edge, 4-3 in overtime, but the series projects to go at least six. One thing is certain: hockey history is ready for another chapter of Panthers vs Oilers.