The Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers will shift to Sunrise, Florida, for Game 3 with the series knotted at 1-1 after the teams split a pair of overtime decisions at Rogers Place. It’s the first time since 2014 that Games 1 and 2 of the Final went to OT.
The Panthers escaped Edmonton with a 5-4 win in Game 2 of the Final on Brad Marchand’s game-winning goal 8:05 into the second overtime on Friday night. It was the first double-overtime game in the Final since Game 5 in the 2020 bubble playoffs, when the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars 5-4 on a goal by Kevin Shattenkirk.
It was a high-paced game that featured a first period in which five-goals were scored, the first time that’s happened in the Stanley Cup Final since Game 5 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks in 2016.
The win was huge for the Panthers because teams that trail 2-0 in a Stanley Cup Final have won just five of 55 series. Instead, they’ve evened the series and taken away Edmonton’s home-ice advantage entering Game 3 at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday night.
From this instant classic, let’s break down the winners and losers from Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.
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Winner – Brad Marchand – Panthers
Brad Marchand’s was the double-overtime hero in Game 2. On the biggest stage, Marchand came through for the Panthers. He scored a shorthanded breakaway goal in the second period that was a momentum-shifter for Florida — it gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead and highlighted a period that saw them outplay Edmonton and outscore the Oilers 2-0. Marchand was also a pest defensively and draws attention to him time he hits the ice. He was millimeters away from winning the game in the first overtime but was first stopped by Skinner, and then the post. His game-winning goal looked almost identical to his first goal, and it capped an instant classic.
Winner – Hockey Fans
If you’re a hockey fan looking excitement, the first two games of this year’s Stanley Cup Final have been a treat. After Game 1 ended on Leon Draisaitl’s goal with 31 seconds left in the first overtime, Game 2 somehow managed to top it. From late goals to overtimes, the Panthers and Oilers have delivered two instant classics. This series has had everything: star power, highlight-reel plays, on-ice antics — and back-to-back thrillers that needed extra time.
Loser – Stuart Skinner – Oilers
Stuart Skinner didn’t look like himself in Game 2. Although he made several key saves in overtime, they weren’t enough to bring home another win. Skinner allowed two-first period goals on 11 shots and two-more second period goals — in all, the Panthers scored four times on 26 shots through 40 minutes. Edmonton tied the game on Corey Perry’s goal with 18 seconds left in regulation, but Marchand got the best of Skinner in the second overtime, so the Oilers are heading to South Florida with the series tied 1-1.
Winner – Sam Bennett – Panthers
Sam Bennett just keeps on putting the puck in the net. His game-opening goal was his third in this Stanley Cup Final, and his 13th of the 2025 playoffs, more than anyone else A power-play goal 2:07 into the game off a feed from Nate Schmidt was his 12th on the road this spring, setting a playoff record for most road goals in a single postseason. Bennett did take a penalty for goaltender interference which led to a goal by Draisaitl that put Edmonton ahead 3-2, but it didn’t end up costing Florida the game. Bennett’s goal broke the Oilers’ streak of scoring the first goal in nine consecutive games.
Winner – Corey Perry – Oilers
The 40-year-old did it again. With Edmonton trailing 4-3 in the dying seconds of the third period, Perry answered the call and tied the game by digging the puck out of a pile of legs in the slot and snapping a shot past Sergei Bobrovsky with 18 seconds left — sending Rogers Place into a frenzy. It was his eighth of the 2025 playoffs — and was the latest game-tying goal ever scored in a Stanley Cup Final game. Perry is the fifth player 40 or older to score a goal in the Final.
Loser – Aleksander Barkov – Panthers
Alexsander Barkov was pretty much invisible is a game where Florida needed him to match the star power of Edmonton. He didn’t make a huge impact on the score sheet and looked lost during Draisaitl’s first-period goal. The Panthers captain finished minus-3, didn’t generate any significant offense and failed to make his an impact in key times throughout the third period and overtime. Luckily for him, the Panthers came out with the win despite Barkov’s subpar performance. They’ll need a lot more from him in the rest of the series.