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Marchand scores winner in double-overtime thriller
Photo credit: NHL
The game 2 hero of this year's Stanley Cup Finals, Brad Marchand, scored in double overtime to give the Florida Panthers a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers and tie the series 1-1. The series now turns to Sunrise, Florida for games 3 and 4.
It took two overtime periods to close-out the tightly-contested game, on a Marchand semi-breakaway, in which he deked to his backhand and lost the puck on a stick check from behind, only to have it slide under Oilers' goalie Stuart Skinner, immediately emptying the Panthers' bench for the team celly.
"To be honest, I blacked out. I don't even know where it went," Marchand said to TNT post-game. "Obviously a fortuitous bounce and we'll take it."
Games often turn on fortuitous bounces, which many would agree are earned: Work, and the hockey gods will reward you.
Brad's second overtime, game-winning goal was a close replica of the shorthanded goal he scored 12:09 into the second frame, which found the 5-hole after the former Bruins' captain pulled a breakaway deke on Skinner, giving Florida the 4-3 lead in the game.
However, with Skinner out for an extra attacker, Corey Perry tied the game at 4's with 18 seconds left in the game, sending Oilers' fans into a frenzy at Rogers Place.
Game 2 of the Finals started with a bang with five first-period goals. Florida's Bennett started it off by scoring at 2:07 into the game, on a one-timer powerplay goal, giving Bennet the new franchise and NHL record for most road goals by a player in a single post-season with 12, as per NHL Public Relations.
Kane, and Evan Bouchard, who's having himself an incredible playoff himself, scored consecutive goals to give the Oilers a 2-1 lead; but Florida's Seth Jones tied it. The Oilers' dynamic duo then went to work and made it 3-2 Oilers on a Draisaitl goal from a McDavid feed.
The series has been as close and as exciting as was predicted, with the Panthers attempting to win their 2nd consecutive Cup, and the Oilers seeking to vindicate last season's game 7 loss in the finals, and win a cup of their own, McDavid's first.
Game 3 will be at Amerant Bank Arena at 8pm on Monday
| POLL | ||
JUIN 7 | 27 ANSWERS Marchand scores winner in double-overtime thriller With the series tied at 1-1, do you believe Oilers could take back home ice from Florida with a road win? | ||
| Yes | 23 | 85.2 % |
| No | 4 | 14.8 % |
| List of polls | ||