The Edmonton Oilers are in the final around the Stanley Cup with their backs to the wall. The team led by Leon Draisaitl lost game 5 of the series against the Florida Panthers and threatens to miss the triumph for the second year in a row.
Florida took the lead again early in the 5-2 and brought the lead this time. Thanks to his two goals, Brad Marchand, who had already shot the Panthers in game 2 in Edmonton, was again the decisive man.
While Draisaitl recorded an assist, superstar Connor McDavid finally scored his first goal in this year’s final.
Goalie change does not fruit
But that wasn’t enough. As in the fourth duel, it was the defending champions to whom the first third belonged in the Rogers Place of Edmonton. Actually, the Oilers wanted to prevent this and even made a goalie change. For Stuart Skinner, Calvin Pickard moved into the box, who had always left the ice in his seven playoff games this year.
But while the Oilers hardly scored a clear shot on the gate of the guests, the Panthers struck twice within the first section. Marchand opened after a fine solo with which he caught the complete defense of the oilers in deep sleep. Shortly before the end of the first third, Sam Bennett increased to 2-0 with his 15th playoff goal. “We just have to find our game earlier,” said Oilers defender Darnell Nurse: “We all agree in the cabin that we can be better.”
Wild minutes in the final section
After the first goalless third of the final (outside an overtime) it was again Marchand who seemed to be clear to the guests. But wild minutes should follow. Initially, 130 seconds later, McDavid finally broke his goal and sparked hope among the Canadian fans. However, it was not destroyed at a minute afterwards when Sam Reinhart scored 4: 1.
The second goal of the Oilers through Corey Perry came too late three minutes before the end, Eetu Luostarinen put the lid on the game with his goal in the empty goal of the hosts. Florida can now celebrate the successful title defense on Wednesday night on Wednesday in Sunrise at home.
“Nightmare on Oilers Street”, the “Edmonton Journal” headed for a new defeat that it was a recurring nightmare.
However, the Panthers have not yet won the trophy. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who showed 19 partly spectacular parades, therefore warned of too much euphoria. “It was definitely a very solid game, but the series continues.” If the oilers are compensated for, there would be a crucial game 7 in the second year in a row.