The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers are playing for the Stanley Cup once again.

The Cup final is a rematch from last year. The Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference to reach their third consecutive final, while the Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars to win the West.

This is the NHL’s first rematch in the final since the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings in 2008 and ’09. Those teams split those series, with Detroit hoisting the Cup after their first meeting and Pittsburgh the second.

Stakes High for Both Teams

Florida is looking to become the NHL’s first back-to-back winner since the cross-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and ’21. Canada’s hopes of ending the nation’s Cup drought — dating to Montreal’s win in 1993 — rests with the Oilers, who are slight favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook.

All four rounds of the playoffs are best-of-seven, and the first team to 16 victories wins the Stanley Cup.

Rematch Time

Last year, Florida went up 3-0 before Edmonton won the next three in a row to force a deciding Game 7. The Panthers won 2-1 on home ice in Sunrise to take home the first title in franchise history.

This is the fifth rematch in the league’s expansion era that began in 1967. Like Detroit and Pittsburgh, the Oilers and New York Islanders also split theirs in 1983 and ’84, while Montreal took each of the previous two: 1977 and ’78 against Boston and 1968 and ’69 against St. Louis.

The last team to win the Cup back to back after full, 82-game seasons was the Penguins in 2016 and ’17. Edmonton has not won it all since 1990.

How to Watch

Every game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is nationally televised in the U.S on an ABC/ESPN or Turner network. The NHL schedule is here and a streaming guide is here. Much of TNT’s coverage, which includes the Stanley Cup Final, will be simulcast on truTV and available on Max’s B/R Sports Add-On. In Canada, games will be showcased on Sportsnet and CBC.

Who to Watch

Florida: Matthew Tkachuk. He took the Stanley Cup for a dip in Atlantic Ocean a year ago and became one of the faces of the league when he dropped the gloves and was a star for the U.S. at the 4 Nations Face-Off. He got injured in that tournament and still might not be 100%, but he is the Panthers’ emotional energy and could get them back to hockey’s mountaintop.

Edmonton: Connor McDavid. The best hockey player in the world had a down season by his standards and dealt with injury, yet McDavid still finished with 100 points. Maybe he was on cruise control waiting for this moment, and the Stanley Cup is close enough to feel again for the three-time league MVP.

Who Are the Stanley Cup Favorites?

Before the playoffs: Dallas and Florida were listed as co-favorites by BetMGM Sportsbook, followed by Colorado, Carolina, Edmonton and Vegas (tied), and Washington.

After the first round (in order): Florida, Carolina, Dallas, Edmonton, Vegas, Toronto, Winnipeg and Washington.

After the second round (in order): Edmonton, Florida, Dallas, Carolina.

After the third round: (in order): Edmonton, Florida.

When Is the Stanley Cup Final?

The playoffs began April 19 to open three rounds of seven-game series in the East and West before the final starts on June 4. If the final goes the distance, Game 7 could be as late as June 23.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl