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Game 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final is underway, with the Oilers looking to double their advantage after beating the Panthers in overtime in the series opener.
Follow along as our reporters on the ground in Edmonton and team of NHL experts across the continent have you covered with the latest insight and analysis.
With goals from Dmitry Kulikov and Seth Jones tonight, the Panthers have now gotten 17 goals from defensemen this postseason. Only three teams in the past decade have matched that total: 2024 Oilers (18), 2022 Avalanche (18) and 2020 Lightning (17).
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Timeisnonsensical: Aight could have been worse. Get some PP time with fresh legs to start the 3rd. Regroup and reload. Let's go Oil.
Andy H: This officiating crew is bad on both sides.
Brian F: Game 1, Panthers were lucky to be ahead after first period despite being outplayed, dominated the second, and got dominated throughout the third and OT despite how long it took for Edmonton to win. Today, Florida was lucky to be down one after being dominated in the first, and is currently dominating the second. Hope we don’t get a rerun of G1 in third period here.
Brennan L: The right teams made the finals. No other team could match the pace these teams are setting. Good lord.
Remember, you can send us your thoughts, questions and predictions by emailing us at live@theathletic.com, and if you're a subscriber you can also join the Game 2 discussion page.
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Brad Marchand's goal in the second period was the second shorthanded goal of his career in the Stanley Cup Final. Incidentally, it came exactly 14 years after his first, which he scored in Game 3 of the 2011 Final for the Bruins against the Canucks.
No player has ever scored three shorties in their career in the SCF.
Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl and Florida's Sam Bennett each have three goals in this series, marking the first time in 35 years that multiple players have three goals each within the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final. They each had two in Game 1 and one tonight.
The last time it happened also involved the Oilers: Jari Kurri (Edmonton) and Ray Bourque (Boston) did so in 1990.
P2 0:00 – Panthers 4, Oilers 3
The period ends as the Florida Panthers lead by one over the Edmonton Oilers. Florida outplayed Edmonton for the second frame, as they scored two goals, courtesy of Dmitry Kulikov and a shorty from Brad Marchand.
Edmonton will have 1:12 left on the power play to start the third period.
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P2 0:48 – Panthers 4, Oilers 3
The penalties continue as Carter Verhaeghe gets penalized with a hooking call. 44 seconds of four-on-four hockey.
Big opportunity for Edmonton as the period winds down.
P2 2:04 – Panthers 4, Oilers 3
HOW did Connor McDavid not score? Oh my goodness. He has two or three chances on Sergei Bobrovsky. But the Florida goalie denies all three whacks from the Oilers superstar.
At the other end, Evan Bouchard gets penalized for cross-checking Eetu Luostarinen, retaliating after the Florida player took a whack at Skinner following a save. Panthers to the power play.
Both teams are doing an exceptional job of getting bodies to the front of the net to compromise the opposing goalie's sightlines. They've each already scored as a result of screens, and had plenty of other close calls.
The Oilers have racked up 12 blocks already, but Skinner has done an excellent job of fighting through the traffic and just made a huge reactionary save with his stick following a redirect in front.
P2 5:11 – Panthers 4, Oilers 3
The Oilers are on their heels. Kasperi Kapanen just saved a goal that would've put Florida up two.
How did that puck not go in? Florida's forecheck is just suffocating right now.
Brad Marchand gives Florida a 4-3 lead with a shorthanded breakaway. The Panthers were controlling the puck for almost the entire first minute of that Oilers power play, then Marchand beats Skinner five-hole.
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That was Brad Marchand's ninth career goal in the Stanley Cup Final — most among all active players.
P2 7:51 – Panthers 4, Oilers 3
Brad Marchand with a breakaway shorthanded goal. Who else?
Another big Stanley Cup Final goal for the Panthers forward. Florida has the lead for the first time since early in the first period.
P2 8:54 – Panthers 3, Oilers 3
Niko Mikkola gets called for the hooking penalty against Connor McDavid. After 11 penalties in the first period, it takes more than halfway through the second period to get another one.
Massive Oilers power play upcoming.
P2 10:29 – Panthers 3, Oilers 3
The Oilers need to weather this Panthers onslaught. Florida loves scoring goals in the second period. They've piled up goals in succession during these playoffs in the second frame.
Can Edmonton withstand the Florida pressure unscathed?
Former Oiler Dmitry Kulikov ties the game with a shot from the point. Matthew Tkachuk gets bumped into Stuart Skinner. The Oilers opt not to challenge. Tie game. It's 3-3.
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P2 12:01 – Oilers 3, Panthers 3
Dmitry Kulikov silences the crowd. He fires a shot through traffic, which Stuart Skinner couldn't see. The Oilers get burned for an extended shift from Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm.
The Florida Panthers tie the game again.
That save by Bobrovsky on Evan Bouchard was sensational to keep the Panthers deficit at only one. It was yet another great play by Connor McDavid to set that chance up, but Bobrovsky's lateral movement is second to none.
I'm shocked at how easily the Oilers have generated rush offense over the first half of this game. The Panthers' gaps in the neutral zone haven't been good, and the result is tons of open ice for Edmonton's skilled skaters to utilize. This game could be out of hand already if not for Bobrovsky.
P2 14:28 – Oilers 3, Panthers 2
It looks like the referees are letting the players play in this period. Sam Bennett gets cross-checked but the referee doesn't call a penalty on Edmonton.
Dmitry Kulikov fires a snap shot from the point which Stuart Skinner gobbles up. Edmonton still leads by one.
