Panthers Even Cup Final at 1-1 with Epic Double-OT Thriller in Edmonton

SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Florida Panthers refused to fade Friday night in Edmonton, erasing a late Oilers lead to claim a 5-4 double-overtime stunner that tied the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at one game apiece. Brad Marchand, the Panthers' gritty forward, scored twice, including the series-clinching shorthanded breakaway goal off a feed from Anton Lundell. He deked through Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner's five-hole after shaking Leon Draisaitl's backcheck, marking his fifth career playoff overtime tally.[1][2][3] Corey Perry etched his name in NHL lore with the latest game-tying goal in Cup Final history, roofing a rebound from the left hash marks with just 18 seconds remaining in regulation to force extras. The 39-year-old veteran, playing his 209th postseason game, denied Edmonton a 2-0 series lead after the Oilers had stolen Game 1 in overtime, 4-3.[1][2] Marchand's first goal earlier came shorthanded, underscoring Florida's penalty-kill prowess that has fueled their playoff run.[4] The Panthers earned their Final berth by surviving a brutal Eastern Conference gauntlet: defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in Round 2's seven-game war and the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 in the Conference Final.[5][6][7] Now, South Florida buzzes with anticipation as Game 3 returns to Amerant Bank Arena on Monday, where 19,000-plus Panthers faithful will pack the Dawn rink. Coach Paul Maurice's squad, boasting Sergei Bobrovsky's stellar goaltending and a league-best road record, eyes its second straight Cup shot after last year's near-miss.