Marchand’s Double OT Heroics Tie Stanley Cup Final in Thrilling Fashion
What a game! If you caught Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final last night, you know exactly what I mean. It was one for the books—absolutely electric. The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers clashed again, and after a heart-stopping double overtime, it was Brad Marchand who came through in heroic fashion, giving Florida a 5-4 victory and tying the series 1-1.
From the moment the puck dropped in Edmonton, you could feel the intensity. The Panthers got on the board early—just over two minutes in—with Sam Bennett rifling one past Stuart Skinner. That goal was historic too, marking Bennett’s record-setting 12th road goal this postseason. But the Oilers didn’t waste any time answering back. Evander Kane evened things up, and then Evan Bouchard gave Edmonton the lead with a shot from the slot. Still in the first, Florida’s Seth Jones fired a beauty to tie it again at 2-2. Back and forth it went, like heavyweight fighters trading haymakers.
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Edmonton got the upper hand again thanks to a slick power play set up by Connor McDavid, who assisted Leon Draisaitl for a 3-2 lead. But Florida, undeterred, responded with a long-range goal from Dmitry Kulikov in the second, and then Marchand gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead on a brilliant breakaway—his 10th career goal in a Cup Final, the most among active players.
The third period was tense. The Panthers were grinding out a hard-fought penalty kill and making key defensive stops. Sergei Bobrovsky was a wall again, finishing with 42 saves. But with just 17.8 seconds left, Corey Perry capitalized on a scramble in front of the net and tied it up, sending the game to overtime—again.
Then came the moment. Deep into the second overtime, Anton Lundell fed a perfect pass to Marchand, who flew in alone and snuck the puck five-hole to seal the win. The Panthers’ bench exploded. It was a massive answer to Game 1’s overtime loss and a momentum shift as the series now heads to Sunrise, Florida.
What’s wild is both games have gone to OT—something we haven’t seen in a Cup Final since 2014. And Florida’s Marchand has absolutely shown up. This is playoff hockey at its finest. With the series tied and home ice now in Florida’s favor, the Panthers are right back in the fight. Game 3 is Monday, and if these first two games are any indication, we’re in for one unforgettable series.
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