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The Stanley Cup Playoffs are an absolute grind, and the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers know that better than anyone else as, once again, the last two franchises standing in the National Hockey League.
The Oilers have played 21 games over the last two months; the Panthers, 22. This is Florida's third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final, and they've played more games (313) over the last three years than any other team. Edmonton isn't far behind at 304; the pair of perennial playoff contenders are both well-attuned to the grind at this point.
The Oil have played 103 games in the last 248 days, per The Athletic's Michael Russo and Chris Johnston — but if they can't find a victory on Tuesday night at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, No. 104 will be their last until the 2025-26 campaign commences in October.
Connor McDavid recently revealed what keeps his team going during another gruelling postseason.
“There’s lots of motivation, lots of excitement,” the captain said, per Russo and Johnston. “We’re in the same boat, you know, and they’ve had an extra year of it. Two teams that know what it’s like to play in this intensity, in this environment and this time of the year.”
“I don’t think we’ve come out of the break feeling our best as a group or as a whole,” McDavid added.
Both the Oilers and Panthers are certainly well-deserving of a break, but we're not there yet. First, it must be decided if there will be a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year.
Either Edmonton wins on Tuesday night and forces a winner-take-all back in Alberta on Friday, or Florida wins back-to-back Stanley Cups. And the Oilers are making a couple of key lineup changes for their first elimination game of the 2025 postseason.
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Oilers turning back to Stuart Skinner for Game 6
Calvin Pickard made his first start of the Stanley Cup Final in Game 5, allowing four goals on 18 shots in his first loss of the playoffs. Head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed that Stuart Skinner will be back between the pipes for Game 6.
“I think Stu is like our team, very resilient,” Knoblauch said on Tuesday, per NHL.com. “They play their best when their backs are against the wall and we need great performances from there. It’s no different whether it’s Stu or Picks, they’ve been able to come up big when we need them at the most important times.”
Along with Skinner, John Klingberg and Kasperi Kapanen will re-enter the lineup after watching Game 5 from the press box. The former will replace Troy Stecher on the blue line, while the latter will take the place of Viktor Arvidsson up front.
And although Ryan Nugent-Hopkins didn't participate in the morning skate as he continues to nurse an undisclosed injury, he will play on Tuesday night.
