The Florida Panthers survived an instant classic with the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night to even the Stanley Cup Final at a game apiece. After a hectic first 27 minutes of overtime between two squads that are about as evenly-matched as it gets, new Panthers acquisition Brad Marchand was the hero.
The former Boston Bruin, acquired by the Panthers midseason, did a great job reading a hard Oilers shot that ricocheted hard off the boards. He snuck behind the defense, received a perfect pass from Anton Lundell and snuck the shot past Stuart Skinner to end the game and tie the series.
BRAD MARCHAND WINS IT FOR THE PANTHERS IN DOUBLE OVERTIME
The series is now tied 1-1 in the Stanley Cup!
pic.twitter.com/JigNDZt0Vz— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 7, 2025
That was Marchand’s second goal of the night to go along with a shorthanded goal in the second period to give the Panthers a 4-3 lead. That goal was a little cleaner and came on another breakaway, so there is no question that he was a massive contributor in this game.
With those two goals, Marchand became the first player in the history of the Stanley Cup Final to have a shorthanded goal in regulation and then have an overtime winner to end the game, per ESPN.
For a while, it looked like that first goal from Marchand was going to be the difference. After a barrage of goals early in the game, the scoring slowed down at the end of the second period and into the third period. Sergei Bobrovsky stood on his head for much of the final 20 minutes of regulation until it all changed in the last minute.
Corey Perry punched in the tying goal for the Oilers with 17 seconds to go in regulation off of a rebound, sending the game to overtime and setting up one of the most dramatic, action-packed extra periods that you will see. Both teams had plenty of chances to win it, but it wasn’t until Marchand found the back of the net that the horn sounded and the game ended.
Marchand also had a big chance to score in the first overtime, but just clipped the post. However, this level of production and ability to put himself in scoring position time and time again is exactly why the Panthers brought him in, and they are now three games away from winning a second-straight Stanley Cup as a result.
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