Edmonton Oilers faced a crucial Game 5 loss against Florida Panthers, who had previously suffered a bitter defeat in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Florida Panthers are steps away from securing a second consecutive NHL championship, following their 5-2 victory over Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. This thrilling win took place at Rogers Place in Edmonton, with the Panthers now needing just one more triumph to clinch the title.
Just 48 hours prior, the Panthers blew a three-goal advantage at home, but they've bounced back impressively, with 37-year-old trade deadline acquisition Brad Marchand sparking their push. Marchand scored a pair of goals in Saturday's game, pushing his Stanley Cup Final tally to an impressive six goals. Teams that emerge victorious in the fifth game of a tied Stanley Cup Final have gone on to claim the championship an astounding 73% of the time, according to the NHL's data.
The fast-paced match opened with Marchand scoring midway through the first period, thanks to a brilliant moves that left defenders in his wake. Later in the period, a speedy counterattack led to Sam Bennett's fifth goal in the finals, enabling Florida to take a commanding 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
With both teams eager to gain the early edge, the action pick up again in the third period. Marchand struck once more on a breathtaking one-on-one breakaway, making it 3-0 to Florida. Despite Elmontton's best efforts, the Panthers continued to control the game, extending their lead to 4-1 after Reinhart's impressive effort.
Superstar Connor McDavid scored on a tricky angle for Edmonton, just over two minutes after Marchand's goal, but the Panthers quickly responded with an answer from Sam Reinhart. Corey Perry found the back of the net late in the period for Edmonton, but Florida closed out the game with an empty-net goal from Eetu Luostarinen to seal a three-goal victory.
As the series heads back to South Florida for Game 6 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, the Panthers have the opportunity to become the first team to lift the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons since the Tampa Bay Lightning accomplished the feat in 2020 and 2021. If Edmonton is to claim the championship, they'll need to find a way to neutralize the dynamic duo of Marchand and Bennett, who have become the first teammates to each score at least five goals in a Stanley Cup Final in over 50 years.
In Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, the Panthers aim to complete a second consecutive NHL championship victory by securing another triumph, emulating the Tampa Bay Lightning's back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021. The Panthers have been boosted by the 37-year-old trade deadline acquisition Brad Marchand, who has contributed significantly to their campaign, scoring a total of six goals in the finals, including a pair in the decisive Game 5 victory against the Edmonton Oilers.