SUNRISE, Fla. – The Florida Panthers handed the Edmonton Oilers a 5-2 defeat in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final Saturday at Rogers Place, taking a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven series.
Edmonton never led, and Florida got goals from four different players, including two from Brad Marchand.
Recommended Videos
With Game 6 scheduled for Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. ET at Amerant Bank Arena, the Panthers, for the second consecutive June, are just one win away from hoisting the Stanley Cup on their home ice.
This isn’t unfamiliar territory for Paul Maurice’s crew, however.
Last season, the Panthers took the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final against the Oilers, but fell three consecutive times, including 5-1 in Game 6.
Center Sam Bennett, who has a playoff-leading 15 goals, and Marchand, who didn’t join the Panthers until this past March, are excited for the challenge Tuesday – hoping to avoid another trip back to Edmonton for a do-or-die Game 7.
“I’m just enjoying every moment,” Marchand said, who is in his fourth Stanley Cup Final and third since winning in 2011 with the Boston Bruins.
On the opposing side, the Oilers are dealing with a goaltender controversy.
Stuart Skinner was pulled at the start of the second period during their 5-4 come-from-behind overtime victory in Game 4 and was replaced by Calvin Pickard, who stopped 22 of Florida’s 23 shots.
Pickard was in net for the entirety of Game 5, but Florida took full advantage, building a three-goal lead on three separate occasions.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch has yet to name a starter for Game 6, which is now a must-win for his team.
“That’s a conversation with the staff, obviously our goaltending coach Dustin Schwartz, but with all the assistants, general manager (Stan Bowman), to kind of weigh in with how everyone feels and what’s best moving forward,” Knoblauch said Sunday.
Tuesday will mark the second time in this year’s playoffs that the Panthers have hosted a Game 6 at Amerant Bank Arena.
