“Well, tonight it was puck execution. I know our passes weren’t sharp; we gave away a lot of pucks. So if you can’t make that first pass, you’re stuck in the defensive zone,” said Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch after his team lost the edge and the series lead in a closely contested Game 2 against the Panthers. The loss only raised the stakes that Edmonton’s mayor, Amarjeet Sohi, revealed ahead of the game.
That’s because if you thought Stanley Cup glory and avenging last year’s final loss were the only things up for grabs, then you’d be wrong. Edmonton’s mayor, Mr. Sohi, and his Sunrise, Florida, counterpart, Mike Ryan, have also raised the bar compared to last year regarding what they’ve put on the line for this year’s final. Last year, the mayors simply bet their jerseys, and Sohi had to wear a Panthers’ jersey to his dismay after the Cats won it all in Game 7.
However, this year, the Edmonton Oilers have looked like a better team in the playoffs. It’s difficult to imagine that the double-overtime loss dented any of Mayor Sohi’s confidence in his home NHL team. “When Oilers win, Mayor Ryan would have to wear an Oiler jersey to his city hall, to his council meeting (and) absolutely declare Edmonton Oilers day in Florida,” Sohi told CBC News before Game 2.
Talk about putting your whole city’s hockey pride on the line! Yet, Sohi’s escalation didn’t come unprovoked. In fact, it was Mayor Ryan who fired the first jab in his interview with the CBC. Mike Ryan snuck in a cheeky jibe at Amarjeet Sohi after saying he has been a great sport. “Let’s make sure that he’s got room in his closet for the next Panthers jersey. That’s all I would say to him,” Ryan said earlier.
Credits: Instagram / @EdmontonOilers
That being said, this friendly back-and-forth isn’t limited to just the two mayors but extends to both fan bases. As per Mayor Sohi, Edmonton has been buzzing with excitement. “The city is buzzing with activity. Throughout the city, bars are filled. Thousands of people out in downtown, in public places,” said the mayor. And amidst the excitement is a sense of confidence.
A different Edmonton Oilers side
While Amarjeet Sohi also praised his counterpart for being a great sport for two years in a row, he also expressed his belief that this year things will be different. “Last year his team won, and I had to wear a Panthers jersey, regretfully. But it’s going to be different this year,” Sohi stressed during the interview. In fact, he was so confident that he went one step further.
“I’m actually looking forward to sending a jersey of the Oilers to Florida for Ryan to wear this year,” announced the Edmonton mayor. And this belief in their skills and chances this year has been apparent across the board. “We have a different mood. Last year, we didn’t know what to expect,” said Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch ahead of the Stanley Cup Final.
NHL, Eishockey Herren, USA Stanley Cup Final-Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers Jun 6, 2025 Edmonton, Alberta, CAN Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand 63 scores the game winning goal against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner 74 during double overtime in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. Edmonton Rogers Place Alberta CAN, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xWalterxTychnowiczx 20250606_mcd_tb1_140
“The biggest change is we’ve been here before. We know what to expect. We’ve seen this team before. We’re (now) accustomed to it,” added the head coach. The same goes for the players. Connor McDavid and Co. made it to the final quicker than last year (16 games compared to 18) and only had trouble against the LA Kings in Games 1 and 2 in Round 1.
Connor Brown revealed how they built the confidence and dominance on their way to a second consecutive Stanley Cup final. “It took us a few games to get her going; we found a spark, and it just kept building. We believe in this group,” said the Edmonton Oilers forward ahead of their series. That being said, after the Panthers made the series even at 1-1 in Game 2, the Oilers need to watch out they’re not being overconfident.
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