Florida Panthers Edge Closer to Back-to-Back Stanley Cup Titles with 5-2 Victory
Brad Marchand netted two goals, while Sam Bennett added his NHL playoff-leading 15th, propelling the Florida Panthers to a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 on Saturday night. This win places the Panthers on the cusp of securing their second consecutive Stanley Cup title.
With this victory, Florida improved its playoff road record to 10-3. A win in Game 6 on home ice in Sunrise on Tuesday night would allow them to hoist the Cup once more.
Unlike previous games in the finals, the Panthers established a multi-goal lead and maintained it throughout. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 19 of the 21 shots he faced, delivering crucial saves at pivotal moments, supported by a defense that effectively neutralized the Oilers' offensive threats.
Marchand, Bennett, and Sam Reinhart were instrumental in the offensive effort. Marchand's performance places him alongside Mario Lemieux as one of only two players in the last fifty years to score five or more goals in multiple finals. His 13 career goals in the finals are the highest among active players.
Connor McDavid finally found the net for the Oilers, scoring his first goal of the series after his team fell behind 3-0. However, Reinhart quickly responded just 46 seconds later, restoring Florida's three-goal advantage. Corey Perry's late goal at 3:13 left in the game proved too little, too late for Edmonton.
Eetu Luostarinen capped off the scoring with an empty-net goal with 1:19 remaining, effectively silencing the previously energized crowd.
The Oilers struggled on the power play, going 0 for 3 as the Panthers' aggressive penalty kill disrupted McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and their top unit's rhythm.
Calvin Pickard suffered his first loss of the postseason after eight starts, allowing four goals on just 18 shots. He had been selected over Stuart Skinner after stepping in during Game 4 and winning to improve to 7-0; his record now stands at 7-1.
Skinner may return for Game 6 as the Panthers look to finish off the series following another long journey back across North America. They have rebounded from a previous setback where they squandered a three-goal lead and lost in overtime during Game 4, leveraging their depth to push the Oilers to the brink once again.
