Marchand’s 2OT Winner Lifts Panthers Past Oilers, Series Tied 1-1

Brad Marchand played the hero in double overtime of Game 2 on Friday night, scoring the game-winning goal as the Florida Panthers tied the Stanley Cup Final series with the Edmonton Oilers at 1-1. It was a thrilling 5-4 win for the Panthers, and the series now shifts to Sunrise, Florida, becoming a best-of-five.

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With the win, Florida steals home-ice advantage and the momentum in a very tight series. “We could be out of here 0-2. We could be out of here 2-0,” Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk remarked. “So 1-1 going back home, now we got home ice, and there’s zeros across the board.”

“Pure excitement, adrenaline for our whole group,” Marchand said following his clutch goal. “It was a very important game for our team, and we all knew we were one shot away. Luckily, it went our way.”

Game 2 Story: Panthers’ Forecheck Beat Oilers’ Transition Game

The Panthers’ physical forecheck and relentless pressure proved to be a difference-maker for the second straight contest. They dominated stretches of play, especially in the second period, outworking the Oilers and disrupting their transition game. “We just lost our legs a little bit,” said Leon Draisaitl. “We weren’t as quick to recover pucks.”

Despite the loss, the Oilers saw offensive contributions from their stars. Connor McDavid posted three assists, while Evan Bouchard (1-2–3) and Draisaitl (1-1–2) also delivered strong performances. Corey Perry forced overtime with a dramatic goal in the final 18 seconds of regulation, capping off a high-intensity contest that featured 99 hits and nine goals.

Still, the Oilers’ five-game winning streak came to an end, marking just their fifth loss of the postseason. Head coach Kris Knoblauch encouraged his team to stay focused. “Obviously, it stings right now… At this time of year, you have to move on.”

Game 3 is set for Monday night in Sunrise.

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