The Edmonton Oilers and Panthers faced off in last year's Stanley Cup Final, and the Panthers won the series with a hard-fought 2-1 victory in Game 7. Florida entered as a -140 favorite over Edmonton last year.

The Edmonton Oilers excelled in the NHL playoffs against the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights, aiming for similar successes versus the Dallas Stars.

Kasperi Kapanen scored on a scramble in front of the net at 7:14 of overtime, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Vegas Golden Knights 1-0 in Game 5 on Wednesday night to advance to the Western Conference final for the second year in a row.

The Avalanche torched Mikko Koskinen and Mike Smith for 22 goals in a four-game Western Conference Final sweep on the way to a parade in 2022, and the Golden Knights were too big, too strong and too brawny to be denied across six second-round games before their victory lap a year later.

Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner picked up his second consecutive shutout to oust the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5.

Early on, it looked like the Golden Knights were going to be run out of Rogers Place. The Oilers rode the energy off the home crowd to build a nice lead. Corey Perry, placed on a line with captain Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, opened the scoring several minutes into the first.

The Edmonton Oilers face the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the second-round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.

Adam Henrique had two goals, Stuart Skinner made 23 saves and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 to take a 3-1 lead in their second-round NHL playoff series.

Vegas Golden Knights' Keegan Kolesar (55) and Edmonton Oilers' Brett Kulak (27) battle for the puck during the third period of Game 4 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, May 12, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) AP

Perry, 40, tied four Hockey Hall of Famers for the most goals in a single post-season by players aged 39 or older. He’s equalled Teemu Selanne in 2011, Mark Recchi in 2010, Ron Francis in 2002 and Jean Beliveau in 1971.