Panthers vs Oilers Tonight: Live Stream, Start Time, Odds & Key Storylines for the Stanley Cup Final Showdown

EDMONTON—The 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers has already produced record-setting drama, and tonight’s pivotal Game 5 at Rogers Place (8 p.m. ET, TNT/CBC) could determine who hoists hockey’s ultimate prize. Series deadlocked, history on the line The best-of-seven matchup is tied 2-2 after three overtime thrillers and a wild Game 4 comeback that saw Edmonton erase a 3-0 deficit—the first time in Cup Final history a team squandered a three-goal first-period lead. Historically, the Game 5 winner in a tied Final has captured the Stanley Cup 19 of 26 times (73.1 percent). Goal-fest of a Final The clubs have combined for 32 goals through four games, the highest total at this stage since 1981. Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk (PP brace in Game 4) and Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl (two OT winners) headline an offense-first series that features five multi-goal comeback swings. Goaltending shake-up Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch turns to Calvin Pickard for his first career Stanley Cup Final start after the veteran reliever stopped 22 of 23 shots in Game 4. Sergei Bobrovsky counters for Florida, aiming to rebound from Edmonton’s late-game onslaught. Key storylines to watch • Special-teams chess match: Florida’s power play is 6-for-17 in the series; Edmonton’s lethal unit is 7-for-21 but still searching for consistency. Discipline could swing momentum yet again. • McDavid’s goal drought: The Oilers captain owns a series-high six assists but is still chasing his first tally against Bobrovsky. If he breaks through, Edmonton’s top line could tilt the ice. • Bennett’s road streak: Panthers center Sam Bennett has scored in five straight playoff road games; one more would tie the NHL record for a single postseason. • Home-ice havoc: Rogers Place is expected to reach deafening decibel levels, but Florida is 6-2 away from Sunrise this spring, including a 3-0 road blowout in Game 3. Projected lineups Panthers: Verhaeghe-Barkov-Reinhart | Rodrigues-Bennett-Tkachuk | Luostarinen-Lundell-Marchand | Greer-Nosek-Gadjovich. Defense: Forsling-Ekblad, Mikkola-Jones, Schmidt-Kulikov. Goal: Bobrovsky. Oilers: Nugent-Hopkins-McDavid-Brown | Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Perry | Skinner-Henrique-Frederic | Kane-Janmark-Arvidsson. Defense: Ekholm-Walman, Kulak-Bouchard, Nurse-Stecher. Goal: Pickard. How to watch and stream U.S.: TNT, truTV, MAX. Canada: CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports. Cord-cutters can stream via MAX, SN NOW, or FuboTV. Local radio coverage airs on WQAM 560 (Panthers) and 630 CHED (Oilers). Bottom line With momentum seesawing nightly and nearly every game decided in the final minutes, Game 5 sets the stage for either franchise to move within one victory of glory. Expect another goals-galore showdown where special teams, goaltending gambles, and perhaps a long-awaited Connor McDavid signature moment decide who takes control of the Cup Final narrative.