Brad Marchand shone brightly as he scored two goals, helping the Florida Panthers defeat the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday night in Edmonton. With this victory, the Panthers are now just one win away from securing their second consecutive Stanley Cup title.
The Panthers have been impressive on the road this postseason, now boasting a 10-3 record away from home. They will have a chance to clinch the championship on Tuesday night when they return to Sunrise for Game 6.
Unlike previous games in the finals where they struggled to maintain leads, Florida established a solid two-goal advantage early on and built on it throughout the game. Sam Bennett also made headlines, scoring his NHL playoff-leading 15th goal. Sam Reinhart contributed to the offense, while goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made key saves, stopping 19 of 21 shots faced and benefiting from a strong defensive effort that limited the Oilers’ scoring opportunities.
Marchand’s performance was particularly notable as he joined Mario Lemieux as one of the few players in the last 50 years to score five or more goals in multiple finals. His 13 career goals in the finals are the most among active players. Connor McDavid managed to score for the Oilers, marking his first goal of the series, but it came after the Panthers had already built a 3-0 lead.
The Panthers quickly regained their three-goal cushion after Edmonton’s brief comeback attempt. Eetu Luostarinen sealed the game with an empty-net goal, silencing the home crowd. The Oilers struggled on the power play, going 0 for 3, as Florida’s aggressive penalty kill disrupted their rhythm.
Calvin Pickard, who had been undefeated in his previous seven starts, faced a tough night in goal for the Oilers, allowing four goals on just 18 shots. He was chosen to start over Stuart Skinner, who may return for Game 6 as the Oilers look to avoid elimination.
Overall, the Panthers bounced back impressively after losing a three-goal lead and falling in overtime in Game 4. With their depth and strong performances, they have put themselves in a commanding position to take the championship in the next game.