EDMONTON, Alberta — (AP) — The second incarnation of the Florida Panthers against the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final opens in the opposite corner of North America from a year ago.
Game 1 is Wednesday night in Edmonton, where fans in the hockey-crazed capital of Alberta get to see their team start a series at home for the first time during this playoff run.
“To be able to start the Stanley Cup Final on home ice, you can just feel a buzz in the city and these people deserve it,” NHL MVP finalist Leon Draisaitl said. “They’ve waited a long time for this and, obviously to us, it’s all about finishing it.”
Starting at home last year, the Panthers went up two games to none and won the first game in Edmonton to take a 3-0 series lead. They lost the next three before winning Game 7 to capture the first title in franchise history.
Florida is in the final …