Panthers beat Oilers 5-4 in double OT, tying Stanley Cup final series
Series now goes to Florida tied at one game apiece
Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand scored a breakaway goal in double overtime in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals to even the series with the Edmonton Oilers Friday.
The two teams had been locked at 4-4 after the first extra 20 minutes of sudden death.
Panthers star Sam Bennett notched a power-play goal just over two minutes into the start of the game at Rogers Place in Edmonton, kicking off scoring in a chaotic first period after Evander Kane was called for a high stick.
Kane struck back five minutes later for the Oilers, ripping a shot past goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to tie the game. Defenceman Evan Bouchard then found the back of the net with a long wrist shot, giving the Oilers a lead, all before the halfway mark of the first period. But that lead was short lived, with the Panthers' Seth Jones striking back to even things up 2-2.
The home team had a major scare when Bennett took a goaltender interference penalty, falling onto Stuart Skinner's outstretched leg shortly after, leaving Skinner down on the ice and receiving attention from the trainer.
Skinner stayed in net and the Oilers made Bennett pay on the ensuing power play, when Connor McDavid set up Leon Draisaitl, hearkening back to his Game 1 overtime winner and bringing Edmonton ahead, still less than 13 minutes into the game.
Eleven penalties were called in the first frame, which saw the Oilers outshoot the Panthers.
The cats came out strong in the second period, getting back on the board with defenceman Dmitry Kulikov firing a wrist shot through traffic at 11:37 to tie the game once again.
Marchand then took advantage of a discombobulated Oilers power play, scoring on a breakaway to give his team a 4-3 lead, marking the first shorthanded goal the Oilers have given up during the playoffs.
The Panthers took control of the play in period two, applying heavy offensive zone pressure and going to the locker room back on top.
The Oilers couldn't capitalize on even-strength chances in a tight third period, and pulled Skinner for the extra attacker with 2:33 remaining.
The Panthers looked like they had weathered the storm, until Oilers winger Corey Perry hit the top shelf in a scramble with just 17 seconds left, sending the series to OT for the second straight game.
Both teams were sharp in the first overtime period, with back and forth play leading to chances on either end.
Skinner made a show-stopping save on Marchand about eight minutes in, followed by a post hit on the rebound that drew gasps from fans who thought it was a sure goal.
But neither club could bury one in the additional 20 minutes, dragging the game into a rare second OT.
Another tight overtime period only went to 8:05, when Marchand sprung forward on a pass from Anton Lundell and found the back of the net for his second of the night.
"The guys did a great job at the line turning it over, and a phenomenal pass by Lundy, to get it up and get it through there and give me enough time to make the play," Marchand said, speaking with Sportsnet after the game.
The Oilers were hoping to expand their series lead in the cup rematch after a 4-3 overtime victory in another nail-biter Wednesday.
"Tomorrow you get some rest and get on the plane and be ready for Game 3," Perry said following the game. "They're a good team, they're going to push us to the max and we're going to push them to the max."
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said both of the first two games could have gone either way.
"Obviously when you win the first one you're disappointed you don't follow up and win the second one, but we're going there with the split and that's fine with us," he said at a post-game press conference.
Last year's series between the two teams went the full seven games, with Florida coming out on top.
Game 3 goes Monday in Florida at 8 p.m. ET/6 p.m. MT.
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With files from CBC News