Will Tuesday night’s matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers be the final game of the 2024-25 season? Or will there be one more on Friday?

The Panthers lead 3-2 in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final ahead of Game 6 (8 p.m. ET, TNT/Max). If they win, they skate the Cup on home ice. If the Oilers win, Game 7 is back in Edmonton.

Here are notes on the matchup from ESPN Research, as well as betting intel from ESPN BET:

More from Game 5: Recap | Grades

Matchup notes

Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers
Game 6 | 8 p.m. ET | TNT/Max

With a 3-2 lead ahead of Game 6 on home ice, the Panthers are now -400 favorites to win the Cup and the Oilers are +300; those numbers are adjusted from prior to Game 5, when both clubs were -110. As for the Conn Smythe Trophy, Sam Bennett remains the leader, but his odds have shifted from +150 to -190. Brad Marchand (+300), Connor McDavid (+700) and Leon Draisaitl (+700) round out the top four.

The Panthers are seeking to become the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champions by beating the same team since the Montreal Canadiens did so against the Boston Bruins in 1977 and 1978 — for the Habs, those were titles No. 2 and 3 of four straight earned between 1976 and 1979. A Panthers win would be the fourth Stanley Cup for a team based in the state of Florida this decade (the Tampa Bay Lightning won in 2020 and 2021).

The Oilers are facing elimination for the first time in the 2025 playoffs. Last year, they were 5-1 when facing elimination — including three wins in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final after falling behind 3-0. Road teams facing elimination in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final have gone 6-6 in the past 12 occurrences.

Marchand is having a superb Stanley Cup Final, scoring six goals thus far. That marks the most goals in a Cup Final since Esa Tikkanen (1988, also six). Marchand is the first player to score five or more goals with multiple teams in a Cup Final, and his five road goals in this series are the most in a single Cup Final since Jack Adams had six for the Vancouver Millionaires in 1922. With multiple multigoal games in the Cup Final, Marchand joins Jeff Friesen (New Jersey Devils, 2003) and Max Talbot (2009, Pittsburgh Penguins) as the only players to pull off that feat in the past 30 years.

Teammate Sam Bennett is also entering historic territory. With a goal in Edmonton in Game 5, he became the fifth player in NHL history with a streak of six straight road games with a goal. He is also the fourth active NHL player to score 15 goals in a single postseason, joining Zach Hyman (16, 2024), Alex Ovechkin (15, 2018) and Sidney Crosby (15, 2009).

Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky tied the NHL record for most road wins in a single postseason (10). The other five goalies tied atop the list are: Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues, 2019), Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals, 2018), Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings, 2012), Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary Flames, 2004), Martin Brodeur (Devils, 2000 and 1995).

With three goals in this series, Edmonton’s Corey Perry tied Mark Recchi (Bruins, 2011) and Igor Larionov (Detroit Red Wings, 2002) for the most goals by a player age 40 or older in a single Cup Final.

McDavid scored a point in every home game he played since the 4 Nations Face-Off break — a run of 17 straight games, with 36 points in that span. He reached 150 playoff points in 95 games, the third-fastest player in NHL history to reach that benchmark, behind Wayne Gretzky (68 games played) and Mario Lemieux (86).

With one more game-winning goal this series, Draisaitl would become just the third player in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) — and first since 1977 — to have three game winners in a single Stanley Cup Final. The previous players to do so are Jacques Lemaire (1977) and Jean Beliveau (1965 and 1960), both of whom accomplished the feat for the Canadiens.

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Oilers coach: We’ve overcome difficult situations before

Kris Knoblauch keeps faith in his Oilers as he reflects on losing Game 5 in Edmonton.

Scoring leaders

GP: 22 | G: 15 | A: 7

GP: 21 | G: 11 | A: 22

Best bets for Game 6

Evander Kane over 4.5 total hits (+107): The Oilers need to be more physical if they hope to have a legitimate shot at pushing this series to a Game 7. Saturday’s team total of 25 hits, including only a pair from Kane, isn’t going to cut it. An aggressive difference-maker when he’s at his best at nearing, but not crossing, the line as he has too often this series, the winger will be one to watch from the get-go Tuesday. Notably, he registered 17 total hits through both overtime games to open this series in Edmonton. Win or lose, Kane is going to serve as a factor. Hopefully for the Oilers, not by earning himself time in the penalty box.

Stuart Skinner under 25.5 total saves (-120): If Skinner — presuming coach Kris Knoblauch goes with his No. 1 netminder to start Game 6 — struggles, or the rest of the Oilers fail to perform well enough out front, he won’t last long enough in the crease to make 26 saves before all is said and done. The leash will be short in this must-win contest. Or perhaps Edmonton’s team defense rises to the occasion and prevents more scoring chances in support of their starting goaltender, as it did in earlier rounds versus Dallas and Vegas.

Connor McDavid first period anytime goal-scorer (+600): After Leon Draisaitl scored the opener in Game 1, the Panthers are perfect in four straight games at catching the back of the net first, outscoring Edmonton 11-4 altogether in the initial period. The Oilers understand reversing that trend would go a long way in helping them survive, particularly by forcing Florida to sway from their stifling defensive play. Who better to look to than McDavid, who finally found the back of the net this series in Saturday’s losing effort? The sport’s best player needs to shoot more, and he knows it. He’ll be revved right up to make a statement, early. — Victoria Matiash

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani jogged off the pitcher’s mound and leaned against the dugout railing while strapping on his elbow guard and batting gloves. He was thrown a towel to wipe the sweat off his face, then walked to the batter’s box to face San Diego Padres ace Dylan Cease without taking any practice swings.

With that, Ohtani began his quest to once again do what many in the sport consider impossible.

Ohtani made his pitching debut from Dodger Stadium on Monday, giving up a run in his lone inning of work, then struck out in his first plate appearance as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ designated hitter, marking the first time he has pitched and hit in a game since Aug. 23, 2023. He would eventually finish 2-4 with two RBIs in his club’s 6-3 victory.

Ohtani is close to 21 months removed from a second repair of his right ulnar collateral ligament but faced hitters only three times before essentially rejoining the Dodgers’ rotation, his last session, from Petco Park in San Diego last Tuesday, spanning three simulated innings and 44 pitches.

Ohtani communicated to the Dodgers that facing hitters hours before games, then cooling off and having to ramp back up to DH later that night, was more taxing on his body than doing both simultaneously, prompting him to return to pitching sooner than expected. These initial starts will basically function as the continuation of Ohtani’s pitching rehab. On Monday, he was basically utilized as an opener.

Ohtani reached 99.9 mph and 100.2 mph with his fastball but also uncorked a wild pitch while utilizing 28 pitches to record the first three outs. Fernando Tatis Jr. led off with a bloop single and Luis Arraez followed with a line-drive single. Ohtani should have recorded a strikeout of Manny Machado, who went around on a two-strike swing. But first-base umpire Ryan Blakney ruled otherwise, bringing the count to 2-2 and later prompting a sacrifice fly to score the game’s first run.

Ohtani followed by inducing groundouts to Gavin Sheets and Xander Bogaerts, and with that, his pitching debut was over.

The Dodgers hope it’s the first of many starts.

Ohtani, 30, functioned as a transformative two-way player from 2021 to 2023, winning two unanimous MVPs and also finishing as the runner-up to Aaron Judge. On offense, Ohtani slashed .277/.379/.585 with 124 home runs and 57 stolen bases. On the mound, he posted a 2.84 ERA with 542 strikeouts and 143 walks in 428⅓ innings.

Top Boston Red Sox officials said the team traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday because they could not find “alignment” with their star slugger, whose relationship with the organization degraded after he declined a request by the team to switch positions for the second time this season.

In a 40-minute media availability Monday night, Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow defended the decision to trade the 28-year-old Devers, a three-time All-Star in the second season of a 10-year, $313.5 million contract. The deal, which came after a sweep of the rival New York Yankees extended Boston’s winning streak to five games, roiled Red Sox fans still embittered by Boston trading future Hall of Famer Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.

Though Kennedy and Breslow acknowledged the disappointment in the trade that netted Boston left-handed starter Kyle Harrison, outfield prospect James Tibbs III, right-handed reliever Jordan Hicks and right-hander Jose Bello, they noted the financial flexibility the deal gives the organization, with San Francisco taking on the remaining $254 million of Devers’ contract.

Pointing to the ability to add talent as the July 31 trade deadline approaches, Breslow said: “This is in no way signifying a waving of the white flag on 2025. We are as committed as we were six months ago to putting a winning team on the field, to competing for the division and making a deep postseason run.”

He also added, “I do think that there is a real chance that at the end of the season we’re looking back and we’ve won more games than we otherwise would’ve.”

At 38-36 following a win Monday night against Seattle, the Red Sox are in fourth place in the AL East but hold the final AL wild-card playoff spot. Their new-look lineup featured first baseman Abraham Toro hitting in Devers’ typical No. 2 spot and rookie outfielder Roman Anthony, who hit his first big league home run Monday, batting third.

Devers, who had been with the Red Sox organization since signing out of the Dominican Republic at 16, went from a fundamental part of Boston’s future to the latest ex-Red Sox player in a matter of months. The organization had spent the winter ensuring Devers would remain at third base, the position he had played his whole career. When Boston signed third baseman Alex Bregman on the eve of spring training, Devers was asked to move to designated hitter. He refused before eventually relenting.

A season-ending injury to first baseman Triston Casas in early May compelled Breslow to inquire about Devers’ willingness to move to first. He spurned the idea and criticized the organization, prompting owner John Henry, Kennedy and Breslow to fly to Kansas City, where the Red Sox were playing, and talk through their issues.

Despite the strong play of Toro and Romy Gonzalez at first, the issues persisted. Though neither Kennedy nor Breslow would expound specifically on where there was misalignment between the parties, Devers rejecting a second position switch soured an organization that gave him the largest deal in franchise history.

“We had certain expectations that went with that contract,” Kennedy said. “And when we came to the conclusion that we did not have a full alignment, we moved on.”

Breslow said the Red Sox talked about Devers with multiple teams — and two rival general managers told ESPN on Monday that Devers’ name came up in conversation about potential deals. Ultimately, Boston pulled off the polarizing trade with San Francisco, which agreed to inherit the entirety of Devers’ contract and in exchange sent back a package of talent that paled in production compared to Devers.

Over nine seasons with the Red Sox, Devers hit .279/.349/.510 with 215 home runs and 696 RBIs in 1,053 games. He represented the last player from Boston’s most recent World Series-winning team in 2018 — a group to which Kennedy and Breslow alluded when emphasizing the organization’s goals in moving a player who was hitting .272/.401/.504 this season.

“I do think that there is a real chance that at the end of the season, we’re looking back and we’ve won more games than we otherwise would’ve.”

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow

“As we think about the identity and the culture and the environment that is created by great teams,” Breslow said, “there was something amiss here, and it was something that we needed to act decisively to course correct.”

Said Kennedy: “We did what we felt was in the best interest of the Red Sox on and off the field to win championships and to continue to ferociously and relentlessly pursue a culture that we want everyone in that clubhouse to embody and doing everything in their power night in and night out to help the team.”

The two continued returning to the word “alignment” — Kennedy used it nine times, Breslow five — to rationalize the deal. They pointed to allowing the team’s young core — which includes Anthony and infielders Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer, all of whom were among the top 15 prospects in MLB entering the season — to receive regular playing time as a benefit, with more at-bats available in the DH slot.

“I understand why the initial reaction would be that it’d be tough to sit here and say when you move a player of Raffy’s caliber, when you take that bat out of the lineup, how could I sit here and say that we’re a better team?” Breslow said. “And I acknowledge on paper we’re not going to have the same lineup that we did, but this isn’t about the game that is played on paper. This is about the game that’s played on the field and ultimately about winning the most games that we can. And in order to do that, we’re trying to put together the most functional and complete team that we can.”

The Red Sox have squandered the benefit of the doubt with a fan base that saw the team win four championships from 2004 to 2018. Dealing Betts for a paltry return remains a sticking point with a wide swath of fans, and one of Breslow’s first deals after taking over following the firing of his predecessor, Chaim Bloom, was trading left-hander Chris Sale to Atlanta, where he won the National League Cy Young Award last year.

“I’ll put our record up against anybody else’s in Major League Baseball over the last 24 years,” Kennedy said. “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built here. We’ve got more trophies and banners to show for it than any other organization in Major League Baseball.”

Saying that Devers “means so much to that group, means so much to the organization, to the city of Boston,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora nevertheless stood behind the deal, saying he believes Harrison (who was optioned to Triple-A) and Hicks (on the injured list) will help the team this season.

“We’ve got to keep going. That’s the bottom line,” Cora said. “We put ourselves in a good spot. We have played good baseball for an extended period of time. Now we have to do it without Raffy, but at the same time, we added some pieces that we do believe are going to help us.”

Breslow and Kennedy each expressed disappointment over the handling of the Devers situation, with Breslow saying, “I need to own things I could have done better,” particularly in communicating. They agreed, though, that the decisiveness with which they agreed to deal Devers — regardless of the public outcry — was done in service of something larger.