Edmonton Oilers have no answers for Stanley Cup snipers Bennett, Marchand
If the Florida Panthers close out the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 Tuesday, either Sam Bennett or Brad Marchand will get the most votes for playoff MVP.
Article content
They've been the serial killers in this Stanley Cup Final.
Article content
Article content
Bennett has five goals in the first five games, Marchand has six.
Article content
They're the first teammates in 52 years to each score at least five goals in the final. The last were Hall of Famers Frank Mahovlich and Yvan Cournoyer with Montreal in 1973 against Chicago. And the last player to pop six in the final before Marchand was our own Esa Tikkanen in 1988 against Boston.
Article content
Bennett, who had 51 points in 76 regular season games, has 22 points in 22 playoff games, with 13 of his 15 goals coming on the road. He's scored in each of his last six games away from Florida.
Article content
His playoff-leading 15th goal Saturday put him four back of Jari Kurri and Reggie Leach's all-time post-season best.
Article content
And, of course, Bennett has also spent most nights in the kitchen of whatever goalie he is dining on, with his greasy shrug of the shoulders.
Article content
Marchand, at 37, and unsure where he would fit in Florida after the Bruins captain was moved at the trade deadline, has 20 points and 10 goals.
Article content
Two of those goals came in Florida's 5-2 win Saturday on dazzling rushes. The first saw him go outside-in on Mattias Ekholm then lifting one over the glove of Calvin Pickard, after a sloppy Oiler faceoff. The second one was a McJesus-like sleight-of-hand play where he jumped past Jake Walman to beat Pickard — forehand, backhand, five-hole.
Article content
Article content
On the first Marchand goal to open the scoring, his linemate Anton Lundell was agog at the skill level.
Article content
Article content
'Those are the goals you look at on YouTube as a kid, then you go out and practise that yourself,' said Lundell.
Article content
Article content
But the second goal to make it 3-0 was filthy stuff usually reserved for No. 97, not that Marchand was crowing about it.
Article content
'To be honest I don't really know what happened there. I have to see the replay. The puck just found its way in,' he said.
Article content
He's making it sound like it was a paint-by-numbers play instead of a work of art.
Article content
'I have no idea how he did that. We're going to watch that clip a couple of times and I'll ask him to teach me that,' said Bennett.
Article content
Bennett's 15 goals are out of character for him but not quite the same 'where did that come from?' storyline as Oiler Fernando Pisani's 14 back in their magical run to the 2006 Cup final. That's because Bennett did play with Marchand at the 4-Nations tournament in February, and he did score 25 goals this past season.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Connor McDavid is producing in the Stanley Cup Final, but is it enough for the Oilers?
It took until 13 minutes left in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final for Connor McDavid to score his first goal of the series, and it was after he and the Edmonton Oilers fell behind 3-0 to the Florida Panthers, on the way to losing and getting pushed to the brink. Before that, he led all scorers with six assists, and only teammate Leon Draisaitl has more points than McDavid's seven. Of course, the best hockey player in the world is in the spotlight no matter what he does, and he hasn't been able to break out and put the Oilers on his back thanks in large part to Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov and the Panthers keying in on him defensively and slowing him down at all costs. Coach Kris Knoblauch thinks it has been a bit of an unfortunate final for McDavid given the amount of scoring chances that just haven't gone in. 'I think Connor's been one of our best players every single night, and that's what we expect,' Knoblauch said Sunday. 'I've got no issues with his game. Obviously, our team relies heavily on him and Leon and how they're playing, but I think that it's tight checking for everyone and it's not going to be a midseason game against a non-playoff team when sometimes he's had 10 or 12 scoring chances. Those numbers are obviously reduced playing against a good team like Florida.' The Panthers have defended McDavid and Draisaitl 'reasonably well,' according to coach Paul Maurice, who acknowledged two of the NHL's most talented forwards are bound to get their opportunities. Barkov's line, with Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart, has been tasked with playing against McDavid, perhaps to the detriment of offense. That's the job, so Reinhart was noticeably upset to give up that late goal Saturday night. 'I'm upset every time they get a goal,' Reinhart told reporters in Edmonton. 'It's a team effort defending guys like that. We've known all series the challenge is there for us. No one really cares in our locker room who's producing each night. It's just a matter that someone is at the right times. And that's what we've had.' McDavid led all scorers through three rounds playing with Zach Hyman on his right wing. Hyman's right wrist was dislocated with ligaments torn on a hit late in the Western Conference final, and left winger Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was bothered by an undisclosed injury during a stretch against Florida. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Loading up by putting McDavid and Draisaitl on the ice together — the so-called 'nuclear option' — has not been used as often because Hyman isn't around. 'With the absence of Zach Hyman, it makes it more difficult putting those two together because of the depth of our lineup,' Knoblauch said. 'With what we have right now, to run those two together for long periods of time makes it more difficult for our depth on our team.' That puts even more pressure on McDavid in Game 6 on Tuesday night to keep the series going, as the Panthers again focus on preventing him from doing anything of the sort. ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
Winnipeg Free Press
3 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Panthers host the Oilers with 3-2 series lead
Edmonton Oilers (48-29-5, in the Pacific Division) vs. Florida Panthers (47-31-4, in the Atlantic Division) Sunrise, Florida; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Panthers -148, Oilers +124; over/under is 6.5 STANLEY CUP FINAL: Panthers lead series 3-2 BOTTOM LINE: The Florida Panthers host the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final with a 3-2 lead in the series. The teams meet Saturday for the eighth time this season. The Panthers won the last meeting 5-2. Brad Marchand scored two goals in the victory. Florida is 47-31-4 overall and 32-15-3 in home games. The Panthers have a 52-8-4 record when scoring three or more goals. Edmonton has a 30-20-2 record on the road and a 48-29-5 record overall. The Oilers have a 29-10-4 record when they commit fewer penalties than their opponent. TOP PERFORMERS: Sam Reinhart has 39 goals and 42 assists for the Panthers. Sam Bennett has nine goals and four assists over the last 10 games. Leon Draisaitl has 52 goals and 54 assists for the Oilers. Corey Perry has scored five goals and added two assists over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Panthers: 7-1-2, averaging 4.4 goals, 7.3 assists, 6.5 penalties and 20 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game. Oilers: 6-3-1, averaging 3.8 goals, 7.1 assists, 5.5 penalties and 15.3 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game. INJURIES: Panthers: None listed. Oilers: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Toronto Star
4 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Dodgers say Shohei Ohtani will pitch on Monday night against Padres
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is going to be the starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night against San Diego, 21 months after the two-way star had elbow surgery. The Dodgers made the announcement after Sunday night's 5-4 win over San Francisco. Ohtani likely will be used as an opener as the NL West leaders kick off a four-game set against the visiting Padres. 'Shohei is getting antsy, which is a good thing for us,' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the team announced Ohtani would get the ball on Monday night. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'I don't know if it's going to be one or two innings, but my guess is probably an inning to start. But it's a good thing. The live, simulated, or whatever, sort of ran its course. He's ready to make his debut on the mound.' Ohtani has not pitched in a game since Aug. 23, 2023, when he got hurt during a start for the Los Angeles Angels against Cincinnati. He had Tommy John surgery on Oct. 1, 2018, and is recovering from right elbow surgery on Sept. 19, 2023. In the second season of a $700 million, 10-year contract, he paused his pitching work after a mound session on Feb. 25 to prepare for opening day as a hitter, then started bullpen sessions on March 29 and batting practice on May 25. Roberts said he is excited to see Ohtani pitch in a big league game again. 'There's been a lot of anticipation,' he said. 'I think we've done it the right way as far as our process, communicating with Shohei and feeling good. ... It's good for our team. Our guys are excited about this potential. And obviously, most important, I'm excited for Shohei.' A three-time MVP, Ohtani is hitting .297 with an NL-leading 1.035 OPS, 25 homers and 41 RBIs. A batter only last year in his first season with the Dodgers, Ohtani hit .290 with 54 homers, 130 RBIs and 59 stolen bases. On Sunday, Roberts said rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki appears likely to be sidelined for a lengthy stretch. With Sasaki (right shoulder impingement), Blake Snell (left shoulder inflammation) and Tyler Glasnow (right shoulder inflammation) on the injured list, the Dodgers have resorted to bullpen games. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Sasaki has not pitched in a game since May 9 and is not part of the team's long-term pitching plans this season. 'I think that's what the mindset should be,' Roberts said before the game. 'Being thrust into this environment certainly was a big undertaking for him, and now you layer in the health part and the fact he's a starting pitcher, knowing what the build-up (required to return) entails … I think that's the prudent way to go about it.' Sasaki, 23, went 1-1 with a 4.72 ERA in eight starts after joining the Dodgers from the Pacific League's Chiba Lotte Marines, averaging less than 4 1/3 innings per start. His walked 22 and struck out 24 in 34 1/3 innings and his fastball averaged 95.7 mph, down 3-4 mph from his average in Japan. Roberts said Sasaki was pain-free when he resumed throwing in early June, but the pitcher was shut down after feeling discomfort this past week. Sasaki recently received a cortisone injection in the shoulder; Roberts said no further scans are planned. 'I don't think it's pain,' Roberts said. 'I don't know if it's discomfort, if it's tightness, if he's just not feeling strong, whatever the adjective you want to use. That's more of a question for Roki, as far as the sensation he's feeling. 'He's just not feeling like he can ramp it up, and we're not going to push him to do something he doesn't feel good about right now.' ___ AP MLB:
