Panthers beat Oilers 5-2 in pivotal Game 5 of Stanley Cup final
Florida now one win away from repeating as champions
The Florida Panthers are now one win away from repeating as Stanley Cup champions after beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 5 of this year's final on Saturday.
Brad Marchand opened the scoring for the visiting Panthers halfway into the first period after he corralled the puck off a centre ice faceoff, split Edmonton's defence and roofed a shot past goalie Calvin Pickard.
Sam Bennett pushed the lead to 2-0 late in the first after a blocked shot fortuitously fell to him in the slot, and he snapped a shot past an out-of-position Pickard.
In the second period, Florida withstood multiple spells of Edmonton pressure — including killing off two Oilers power plays — to keep the score unchanged.
In contrast, the third period saw a flurry of goals.
Five minutes into the third, Marchand scored his second of the game after slipping the puck past Edmonton defender Jake Walman and stuffing it in past Pickard.
It took Edmonton just two minutes to respond, with captain Connor McDavid stickhandling around an outstretched Sergei Bobrovsky in the Florida goal, but Sam Reinhart restored the three-goal lead about 40 seconds later off a wrist shot from left side face off circle.
With three minutes left in the final frame, and Pickard on the bench for an extra attacker, the Oilers' Corey Perry scored from the blue line after a speculative shot toward goal beat a screened Bobrovsky.
But Edmonton's comeback hopes were dashed after Florida's Eetu Luostarinen scored a cross-rink empty net goal from his own defensive zone.
Bennett's Game 5 goal was his playoff-leading 15th this post-season, while Marchand has now scored six in this final alone. McDavid's goal was the first for him this series.
Pickard got the start for the Oilers on Saturday after starting goalie Stuart Skinner let in three goals on 17 shots in Game 4. The Oilers eventually rallied back to win the game in overtime to tie the series at two games apiece.
Now leading the series 3-2, the Panthers have a chance to close out the series at home in Florida on Tuesday.
With files from The Canadian Press