Daniel Nugent-Bowman

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Michael Russo |Daniel Nugent-Bowman |Chris Johnston

SUNRISE, Fla. – The Florida Panthers learned their lesson from last year. After needing four cracks to eliminate the Edmonton Oilers last season, the Panthers’ reign continued Tuesday night when they thoroughly dominated Game 6 en route to a 5-1 victory to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. It was another clinic by the Panthers, who easily beat Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers in three of their four wins in the series.

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Daniel Nugent-Bowman

EDMONTON - Should-haves, could-haves, an almost or two and some what-ifs. The Edmonton Oilers were so close to winning their second consecutive game at home to start the Stanley Cup Final. That would have put them in control against the Florida Panthers as the series shifts to the other side of the continent. Instead, Panthers winger Brad Marchand scored the decisive goal on a breakaway at 8:05 of double overtime of Game 2 to hand the Oilers a 5-4 loss on Friday night and even the matchup.

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Daniel Nugent-Bowman

EDMONTON - Playing good defense, as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will have you know their team does, is one thing. The way their Edmonton Oilers have been closing out games is something else entirely. For the fourth straight game, the Oilers held their opponent to no more than four shots on net in the third period as they opened the Stanley Cup Final with a 4-3 win over the Florida Panthers.

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Daniel Nugent-Bowman

EDMONTON - It seems there's quite a difference between the Leon Draisaitl who was hampered by injuries in the Stanley Cup Final a year ago and the one who was on the ice Wednesday. Draisaitl scored twice, including the overtime winner, as the Edmonton Oilers downed the Florida Panthers 4-3 in Game 1 on Wednesday. "He is a top-three player in the world. That's what he shows," Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm said. "When he's healthy, it's a great thing for our club. He's a game-breaker for us.

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Daniel Nugent-Bowman

EDMONTON - Connor McDavid doesn't need any reminders about how important it is for him and the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup, yet there they were in plain sight on Tuesday. As he sat behind his dais during media day, the day before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, over his left shoulder was a gigantic backdrop of Florida Panthers nemesis Matthew Tkachuk hoisting the silver chalice after last year's series. Over his right, there was Wayne Gretzky as an Oiler doing the same in 1984.