In all, the Oilers went an impressive 12-4 to reach the final round. And the Panthers weren’t much farther behind, going 12-5 while knocking off their state rival Tampa Bay Lightning in five games before getting into a seven-game slugfest with a surging Toronto Maple Leafs squad, and then cruising to win over the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.

Back in the same locker room that was the scene of Connor McDavid’s profanity-laced outburst and the tearful ending to his first Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers hope they can avoid the same result this time around.