NHL
Stanley
Cup Final
LIVE
50m ago
By Michael Russo, Daniel Nugent-Bowman and Chris Johnston
EDMONTON — In another high-scoring, hard-hitting, sometimes nasty affair in the rematch between 2024 Stanley Cup finalists Florida and Edmonton, this time it was the reigning Cup champion Panthers who won in double overtime.
One game after the Panthers coughed up a two-goal lead before losing in overtime, Florida overcame what could have been a crushing goal when ageless Corey Perry forced overtime with a tying goal with 17.8 seconds left in regulation on a six-on-five.
But 8:04 into the second overtime, fellow ageless Florida forward Brad Marchand scored his second of the game to give the Panthers a 5-4 victory Friday night at Rogers Place. It was his fifth career playoff overtime winner.
BRAD MARCHAND IS A FLORIDA PANTHER pic.twitter.com/jdMCqethLA
— x – Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) June 7, 2025
“Pure excitement, adrenaline for our whole group,” Marchand said. “It was a very important game for our team, and we all knew we were one shot away. Luckily, it went our way.”
The win evened the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final at one win apiece. The Oilers were handed their first loss since Game 1 of the Western Conference final to snap a five-game winning streak. It was just their fifth loss of the postseason.
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Perry’s goal was the latest tying goal in Stanley Cup Final history. The previous record was by Tod Sloan in Game 5 of the 1951 final (19:28 of third period).
At that point, it tied Marchand for the most goals among active players in the Stanley Cup Final, but Marchand would take it back in double OT with his 10th goal of his career.
“We could be out of here 0-2. We could be out of here 2-0,” Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said. “I guess it’s crazy how it works. So 1-1 going back home, now we got home ice, and there’s zeros across the board.”
NHL playoff goal-scoring leader Sam Bennett scored for a fifth consecutive road game as the Panthers improved to 9-3 away from South Florida. Seth Jones scored a goal and an assist, and Dmitry Kulikov and Marchand scored 3:46 apart in the second period to stun the rabid crowd.
Anton Lundell and Nate Schmidt both had two assists each.
Leon Draisaitl extended his point streak to eight games (14 points) with a goal and an assist, and Connor McDavid extended his point streak to seven (13 points) with three assists. It was McDavid’s 33rd career multi-assist game, the third most in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky’s 72 and Mark Messier’s 40.
Their production was part of a five-goal first period, the highest-scoring opening frame in the final since Game 5 in 2016 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks.
Evan Bouchard scored a goal and two assists and had eight shots on goal, while Evander Kane also scored for the Oilers.
This was the first overtime loss the Oilers have suffered in a Stanley Cup Final game. They were 4-0 with goals from Jari Kurri (1987), Petr Klima (1990), Fernando Pisani (2006) and Draisaitl (Game 1).
COREY PERRY!!
WE'RE GOING TO OVERTIME!! 😱 #StanleyCup
🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/7KR1HXBdWp
— NHL (@NHL) June 7, 2025
“At this time of year, you have to move on,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “There’s no (use) thinking about it too long. Obviously, it stings right now, but we have to move.”
Game 3 is Monday night in Sunrise, Fla.
Less than four minutes after Kulikov tied the game at 3-3, Marchand scored his second career short-handed goal in the Stanley Cup Final.
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In fact, it came exactly 14 years to the day after his last one in Game 3 of the Boston-Vancouver series against Roberto Luongo — the now-Florida Panthers special adviser to general manager Bill Zito.
With the Panthers dominating the Oilers over a five-minute stretch, it appeared as if Niko Mikkola would douse momentum by hooking McDavid. But instead, Anton Lundell sprung Marchand for the shortie.
MARCHAND WITH A SHORTHANDED BREAKAWAY GOAL 😱🔥 pic.twitter.com/BHXa3yXNid
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 7, 2025
Marchand then came up clutch in double overtime, scoring 8:04 into the frame.
Marchand’s seventh goal of the playoffs was also his 10th career goal in the Stanley Cup Final, the most amongst active NHLers, one more than Perry. Marchand is the second player age 37 or older to score in each of the first two games of a Stanley Cup Final (Hall of Famer Larry Robinson in 1989).
Lundell set up both of his goals.
Asked where he thinks Marchand gets the energy from at his age, Lundell quipped: “I hope he gets the energy from me and (linemate Eetu Luostarinen). It seems like nothing is stopping him.”
Bennett, who set a Panthers record for goals in a playoff by scoring twice in Game 1, didn’t waste time breaking another record — this time an NHL record 127 seconds into Game 2.
Bennett’s 13th goal, which came on a power play, was his 12th on the road — an NHL record.
SAM BENNETT CAN'T STOP SCORING‼️
His 13th of the #StanleyCup Playoffs gives the @FlaPanthers an early lead!
🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/9TuAUwrNNb
— NHL (@NHL) June 7, 2025
“I don’t think there’s any difference between home and the road for me,” Bennett said.
It came off a perfect setup by Nate Schmidt, but the Oilers were crying foul because Bennett casually kept Mattias Ekholm from retrieving his fallen stick prior to scoring.
The Oilers were INCENSED as Sam Bennett accidentally on purpose knocked Mattias Ekholm's stick away before the goal 😅 pic.twitter.com/DiEfA5Yh4L
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) June 7, 2025
But Bennett would be in the middle of more controversy later in the period. One game after the Oilers were unsuccessful in challenging that Bennett interfered with Stuart Skinner during the game’s first goal, Bennett toppled over Skinner after getting contact from Ekholm later in the period.
Ekholm pushes Bennett into Skinner.
Skinner kicks out his right leg and trips Bennett.
Penalty on Bennett. pic.twitter.com/b7oPdvK7tJ
— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) June 7, 2025
With the game tied 2-2 at the time, the refs called Bennett for goalie interference, much to the chagrin of the Panthers. On the ensuing power play, Edmonton reclaimed the lead after an extraordinary move by McDavid to set up Draisaitl.
“I was pushed,” Bennett said. “I think the goalie kicked out my heel that made me fall. I didn’t agree with that one.”
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With an assist on Kane’s goal before netting one of his own, Bouchard moved into second place among defensemen on the franchise’s scoring list, passing Charlie Huddy. Pretty impressive, but it’s even more impressive considering Bouchard has played 67 fewer postseason games than Huddy.
But, wait. There’s more.
Bouchard’s goal was the 20th of his postseason career in just 71 games. That matches Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar as the fastest active defenseman to that mark. Per the NHL, only six other blueliners hit that milestone quicker: Paul Coffey (48 games), Brian Leetch (49), Bobby Orr (50), Denis Potvin (52), Al MacInnis (70) and Paul Reinhart (70). Reinhart is the father of Panthers forward Sam Reinhart.
BOUCHARD'S FIRST SHOT WAS BLOCKED, BUT THE SECOND ONE DIDN'T MISS 🚨 pic.twitter.com/1g2aEW7Sz2
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 7, 2025
Bouchard added another secondary helper on the McDavid-to-Draisaitl jaw-dropping tally to cap a three-point night. He’s now up to 79 points in the playoffs, which ties him with teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for ninth on the franchise’s all-time list. Only Coffey, with 103 points, is ahead of him in terms of defensemen.
Bouchard got Conn Smythe Trophy votes last year when he recorded six goals and 32 points in 25 games. He’s at 21 points in 18 contests now and will certainly garner consideration again if he continues his strong play in his series.
“A little slow start, but I like the way it’s going,” Bouchard said before the game about his production. “I like where I’m at right now and still more to give.”
All he’s got to do is watch the retaliation penalties, of which he took two in this game.
McDavid assisted on five of Edmonton’s first eight goals to open the Stanley Cup Final and his wizardry was on full display while setting Draisaitl up for the 3-2 goal in Game 2.
ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING PLAY FROM MCDAVID TO SET UP DRAISAITL 🤢
OILERS LEAD AGAIN 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/zW9oUwzTmU
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) June 7, 2025
McDavid turned defenders Aaron Ekblad and Aleksander Barkov inside out as he attacked through the middle of the offensive zone before feathering a perfect pass over to Draisaitl at 12:37 of the first period — drawing massive praise from Gretzky, the NHL’s all-time scoring leader, who won four Stanley Cups with the Oilers.
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Gretzky is an analyst on TNT’s coverage and said on the intermission panel that he believes McDavid is playing like someone watching the game from the press box because of his otherworldly awareness of where everyone is on the ice around him.
“What he’s doing differently as he gets older and more mature — we know he’s the best player in the game — he’s making every player around him even that much better now,” Gretzky said on TNT. “That’s a sign of a true superstar and that’s the reason why he’s the best player in the league. He’s unselfish. He works as hard as any player on the ice.
“He wants to win so badly and he happens to have the best set of hands hockey has to offer right now.”
McDavid holds the NHL’s playoff scoring lead with 31 points this spring.
Remember when Draisaitl was coming into the Final after failing to score in all seven games in this series a year ago? Well, that’s a distant memory.
Draisaitl was the beneficiary of McDavid’s beautiful feed before he beat Sergei Bobrovsky on a power play in the first period. The goal was his third in two games this week.
That tally was also his 10th of the postseason, marking the third straight year he’s reached that mark. Draisaitl joins some rare and elite company as a result. The only other players to do this are Mike Bossy (four times from 1980 to 1983) and Gretzky (three times from 1983 to 1985).
Draisaitl also had an assist on Bouchard’s goal, giving him 29 points in 18 games. He’s two points behind McDavid for the lead in the scoring race. Draisaitl is now two points behind his total from last year and three back of his personal best of 32 set in 2022.
(Photo: Perry Nelson / Imagn Images)
