The Florida Panthers split the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final after Brad Marchand scored 8:04 into double overtime to give his team a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2.
The goal came after Corey Perry tied the game with 17.8 seconds left in regulation, with goaltender Stuart Skinner pulled for an extra attacker. It marked the latest tying goal in Stanley Cup Final history.
“To be honest, I blacked out. I don’t even know where it went. It was a fortuitous bounce. We’ll take it.”
Marchand’s second goal of the night capped a marathon game that saw both teams battle through two overtime periods. Each of the first two games in this final have gone to overtime – the first time that’s happened since 2014 and just the sixth time in NHL history.
The Panthers came to Edmonton looking for a split and got exactly what they wanted.
“Obviously a long game. We came here for a split and got it and just going to recover now,”
said defenseman Seth Jones, who led Florida in ice time at 34:15.
Sergei Bobrovsky was the difference maker for Florida, stopping 42 of 46 shots including 14 saves during the two overtime periods. The goaltender made several spectacular saves to keep his team in the game during crucial moments.
“He gives us a chance every night. That’s all you can ask for. Some big saves, key saves at key moments, and we’re not taking him for granted, that’s for sure,”
said winger Evan Rodrigues.
Sam Bennett scored his postseason-leading 13th goal and NHL-record 12th road goal of the playoffs. Jones found the back of the net after some spectacular passing, while fellow defenseman Dmitry Kulikov tied the game with a shot through traffic that Skinner likely never saw.
Florida controlled large portions of the second period, hemming Edmonton in its own zone and outshot the Oilers 34-13 in shot attempts during the frame.
Marchand’s overtime winner was his 10th career goal in Stanley Cup Final play, leading all active players.
The Oilers got goals from Evan Bouchard and Leon Draisaitl, with both Connor McDavid and Draisaitl recording assists. McDavid set up Draisaitl’s power-play goal with some highlight-reel stickhandling through multiple defenders.
The game featured 10 power plays total after officials called 14 penalties, including three in the first four minutes. Both teams had calls they weren’t happy with, but the whistles evened out over the course of the game.
“Each game could’ve went either way. Obviously when you win the first one, you’re disappointed not to win the second,”
said Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch.
Game 3 shifts to Sunrise on Monday night as the teams traverse the continent. The Panthers have wrested home-ice advantage away from Edmonton by earning the split, rebounding from their Game 1 overtime loss.
Florida showed they won’t go quietly against McDavid and Draisaitl as the Oilers look to capture their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
