Two Stanley Cup Final games. Two overtimes. This will be another epic series.
Not so fast, Edmonton!
Brad Marchand scored 8:05 into double overtime, and the Florida Panthers evened the Stanley Cup Final with a 5-4 win against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 at Rogers Place.
Just like in Game 1, the Oilers rallied to extend the game. Corey Perry scored the latest game-tying goal in Cup Final history with 17.8 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime, but after a neck-and-neck first overtime, Marchand scored his second of the game to close the show. It was Marchand’s fifth career overtime goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Sam Bennett set an NHL record with his 12th goal on the road in a single postseason. Seth Jones had a goal and an assist, Nate Schmidt had two assists, Anton Lindell had two assists, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 42 saves for Florida.
For Edmonton, Evan Bouchard had a goal and two assists, Connor McDavid had three assists, and Draisaitl had a goal and an assist. Stuart Skinner made 37 saves.
First Period
The game started off with a penalty. Kane was penalized for high-sticking Verhaeghe while simultaneously checking him against the boards. Florida responded with a power play goal 2:07 into the game when Bennett scored off a feed from Nate Schmidt.
Kane redeemed himself just over five minutes later when he lit the lamp to tie the game at one. It all started after the Panthers turned over the puck while attempting to orchestrate the breakout. After multiple battles to gain possession of the puck, the Oilers eventually won that battle when Verhaeghe tried to intercept a pass but ended up tipping it to Kane, who rushed in and snapped a shot by Bobrovsky.
Edmonton added another 9:19 into the period when Bouchard fired a shot through traffic that beat Bobrovsky. Barkov blocked Bouchard’s initial shot. However, Bouchard regained possession of the puck and took advantage of Bobrovsky being screened by Sam Reinhart to get the goal.
Florida responded just over two minutes later to make it a tie game again, when Luostarinen fed Jones in the left slot for a beautiful goal as Skinner lost sight of the puck.
The Oilers took a 3-2 lead with 7:23 left in the frame on the power play when McDavid set up Draisaitl with yet another scintillating score. He drove the puck into the Florida defensive zone, deked and stick-handled his way through two defensemen, and found Draisaitl in the right circle for the goal. As for the penalty, Bennett committed goaltender interference when he knocked over Skinner. It was initially a scary moment for Oilers fans as their outstanding netminder, who’s been an absolute stud in these Stanley Cup Playoffs, lay on the ground for several moments but eventually shook off the cobwebs with help from his trainer.
In the closing stages of the first, Bouchard was busted for cross-checking Thomas Nosek in the back near the Edmonton net. The penalty would extend into the following period.
Second Period
After killing off the penalty, McDavid tried to set up Bouchard in the slot, but he was denied by an incredible Bobrovsky save.
8:23 into the second period, the Panthers were rewarded with an outstanding play when Kulikov scored his second of the postseason when he fired a shot through traffic that deflected off Bouchard in front of the net.
Niko Mikkola was whistled for hooking McDavid with 8:54 left in the frame to put Edmonton on the power play. However, it didn’t matter as Brad Marchand scored a shorthanded marker to give Florida a 4-3 lead after Edmonton turned over the puck on the rush, which allowed Marchand to go on a breakaway and fire a shot that went right between the legs of Skinner.
Bouchard was penalized for cross-checking Luostarinen after the whistle with nearly two minutes to go in the period. It was a costly move as the Oilers had already been getting outmuscled, outhustled, and outplayed for much of the frame. Now, they had to play down a man.
With 44 seconds left in the power play, however, Verhaeghe made it 4-on-4 after he was called for hooking Mattias Janmark. Florida continued to press the action, and Gustav Forsling ripped a shot from the left ring that Skinner stoned with less than 30 seconds to go in the period.
Third Period
Edmonton pulled Skinner with 2:33 left in regulation. It didn’t appear that it would pay off, but 40-year-old Perry proved that it’s never over until it’s over when he tied the game with 17.8 seconds remaining in the game. Jake Walman fired a shot from the point that bounced off a quartet of players in front of the net. Perry, who Verhaeghe was tying up, fended off his attack before jumping on the loose puck and lobbing it by Bobrovsky for the equalizer.
Perry’s goal broke a 74-year-old record. The previous latest game-tying goal in Stanley Cup Final history was scored by Tod Sloan of the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 5 in 1951, with 32 seconds left in their game against the Montreal Canadiens.
Overtime
Both squads had ample opportunities early in the first overtime period. McDavid had a chance, but his cross-crease pass went nowhere. Aleksander Barkov drove the puck through the neutral zone and behind the Edmonton net and fed Verhaeghe a pass in the left circle, but his shot was turned away by Skinner.
Skinner would subsequently make a scintillating save on a backhand from Marchand, pulling off the splits to keep the puck out of the net. Marchand followed up on the rebound, and it trickled just by Skinner’s legs and bounced off the post before John Klingberg cleared it out of the crease. Yet the game was still tied 4-4.
Double Overtime
Draisaitl attempted to drive the puck deep into the Florida defensive zone and set up a play in front of the net, but Forsling, as he had done throughout the game, used his stick to poke the puck away.
Aaron Ekblad rushed to the bench in severe agony just over four minutes into the second overtime after Nurse nailed him in the left hand with a wrist shot. He writhed in pain as the training staff continued to examine him on the bench.
Marchand ended the game when he went on a breakaway, fended off Draisaitl’s backcheck, and punched it through Skinner’s five-hole to win the game for Florida in a 5-4 final score.
Takeaways
Both games of this series have gone to overtime. We are witnessing one of the greatest series in history. Enjoy it while you’re here.
Next Game
Both teams get an extra day off. Game 3 takes place Monday, June 9, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. However, the game starts at sunset. Puck drop is at 6 p.m. local time.