When the Florida Panthers acquired Brad Marchand at the trade deadline, it was for moments like Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final when his team was in need of a big play. After scoring the go-ahead goal in the second period, Marchand was able to find of the back of the net yet again on the break to lift the Panthers to a 5-4 double-overtime win to even the series.
Much like earlier in the night, teammate Anton Lundell sent the puck ahead to Marchand, who got in all alone behind the defense. Marchand then flipped a backhanded shot home that deflected off of the pad of goaltender Stuart Skinner for the game-winning goal.
Marchand now has 10 career Stanley Cup Final goals with the majority coming as a member of the Boston Bruins. The veteran forward has now found the back of the net on three occasions in the first two games of this Stanley Cup Final.
Earlier in Game 2, Marchand provided more heroics as he gave the Panthers the lead back at 4-3 at the 12:09 mark of the second period. On this particular play, Lundell was able to sweep the puck ahead to Marchand to spring a breakaway, and Marchand was able to beat Skinner via the five-hole on a shorthanded tally.
The game ended up in overtime after Corey Perry played the role of hero. With just 18 seconds left in regulation Perry was able to get a stick on the loose puck and snap it past Sergei Bobrovsky to tie the game at 4 off a point shot from defenseman Jake Walman.
Perry's tally was the latest game-tying goal in Stanley Cup Final history. The previous record came in 1951 when the Toronto Maple Leafs' Tod Sloan scored on the Montreal Canadiens with 32 seconds remaining in Game 5.
Much in the mold of Skinner in Game 1, Sergei Bobrovsky settled in after a shaky opening period. Bobrovsky ended up putting together a spectacular performance after a rough first period. The Panthers goalie turned aside 41 of the 45 shots that he faced on Friday and kept the Oilers' dynamic offense at bay over more than three periods. Bobrovsky now has a 5-1 record in games following a loss this postseason.
Marchand was built for moments like Game 2
At the trade deadline, the Panthers made an effort to improve an already deep roster with the additions of defenseman Seth Jones and Brad Marchand. However, it was clear at the time of the move that Marchand could pay massive dividends come playoff time, and Florida is seeing that move pay off on the sport's biggest stage.
Marchand has now tallied three goals in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final. In fact, the veteran winger gave Florida the lead on two occasions in Game 2. Earlier in the night, he gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead on a breakaway, perhaps a foreshadowing of what would come in the second overtime session.
One of the most impressive parts of Marchand's game is his killer instinct that shines through in the biggest of moments. He puts himself in the right spots time and time again, while always keeping his head on an even keel. That may have been hard in Game 2 considering that he had the puck on his stick with a chance to win the contest in the first overtime period, and wasn't able to score. Still, he persevered and rose to the occasion when the Panthers needed him the most.
McDavid, Draisaitl continue to thrive
Entering this series, it was no secret that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were going to need to produce, especially with Zach Hyman out with an injury. Through two games, the Oilers dynamic duo has certainly showed up when the lights are the brightest.
McDavid continues to prove that he's an elite playmaker in every sense of the word. The Oilers star has recorded five assists in the first two games of the series, including tallying a three-assist performance in Game 2. In one of the most spectacular stick-handling feats one will see, McDavid weaved his way around Aleksander Barkov before toe-dragging the puck around Aaron Ekblad. He then set up Draisaitl for a beautiful one-timer that gave the Oilers a 3-2 lead in the opening period.
On the other hand, Draisaitl registered a goal and an assist in Game 2. With his goal that was made possible by McDavid's wizardry, Draisaitl now has 10 goals in three consecutive postseasons and joins Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy as the only other players in NHL history to accomplish that feat.
While it's not surprising to see McDavid and Draisaitl dominating on this stage, that doesn't make what they're doing any less sensational.
Bobrovsky impresses down the stretch
Similar to what Stuart Skinner did in Game 1, Sergei Bobrovsky had a rough opening period, but he was able to weather the early storm.
Bobrovsky surrendered three goals in the first period to an aggressive Oilers squad that looked poised to take a 2-0 series lead. However, after allowing those three tallies, the veteran netminder stopped 31 of the final 32 shots that he faced on the night. Bobrovsky looked completely locked in down the stretch and showcased the world class ability that helped the Panthers hoist Lord Stanley's Cup last season. According to Money Puck, Bobrovsky has a 9.2 goals saved above expected and owns a .961 save percentage when facing unblocked shots.
Bobrovsky has also become the first NHL goaltender to begin the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final with back-to-back 40-save performances. While it's certainly tough to face an offense that features players like McDavid and Draisaitl, Bobrovsky definitely played at an elite level after the first period when his team needed him the most. If that type of effort can continue in this series, the Panthers definitely stand a great chance to win their second consecutive Stanley Cup.
![[object Object] Logo](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/2020/04/22/e9ceb731-8b3f-4c60-98fe-090ab66a2997/screen-shot-2020-04-22-at-11-04-56-am.png)
