Hockey's ultimate rat Brad Marchand took big bite out of Oilers in Game 2
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When somebody asked Brad Marchand before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals how he's feeling with all those plastic rats sailing onto the ice now that he's a real-life member of their Florida Panthers' rodent fraternity, he rolled his eyes.
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'Man, they're bullying me,' said hockey's top vermin.
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Actually Marchand can handle himself just fine. He's gnawed his way into the hearts of the Stanley Cup champions day by day, and on Friday. He took a large bite out of the Edmonton Oilers hopes of going up 2-0, soring his second-ever finals shorthanded on a breakaway on Stu Skinner in the second period—exactly 14 years to the day he had his first one when he was with Boston against the Canucks. And he got the 5-4 second overtime winner, also on a breakaway, on his seventh shot of the game, to end the 88-minute exhausting piece of theatre.
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It was the first time in Oilers history they had ever lost a Cup final game in OT. Jari Kurri (1987 against the Flyers), Petr Klima (1990 triple OT to beat the Bruins), Fernando Pisani (2006 shorthanded to stun the Hurricanes) and Leon Draisaitl in Game 1 Wednesday were all W's until Marchand struck.
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In between his goals, there was a near-one from the trade deadline steal in the first OT period, when Marchand was robbed by a Skinner pad save, then slid the puck under the goalie and out the other side. And, the face washes, the snow showers in the crease, the fake chicken wing thrown at Leon Draisaitl when the former Boston Bruins' captain skated by both Oiler players.
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Even one verbal Tale of the Tape exchange at a face-off where Marchand and fellow smurf Viktor Arvidsson are going at it, with Marchand quite possibly saying, 'I could eat an apple off your head.'
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'In the northern parlance…he's a beauty,' said the dry Florida coach Paul Maurice.
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'Brad's an incredibly positive human being, a honest man who loves the game, the people around it…he's on the bench pumping tires, telling people to stay in the fight, and you know, he'll be the same way at breakfast, he'll be jacked and he'll be high-fiving everybody,' shrugged Maurice.
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The coach saw a conga line of high-fives from his players on the ice eight minutes into the second OT after Marchand's goal ended it as Draisaitl got a stick on him on a valiant back-check, only to have the puck trickle over the line.
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The NHL is a young man's sport but the 40-year old Corey Perry outmuscled Florida winger Eetu Luostarinen to a loose puck to tie it with 18 seconds left and the 37-year-old Marchand won it on his 10th Stanley Cup final goal as his mother Lynn cleared her throat, yelling 'Way to Go Bradley' from the seats.
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Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
After 2 overtime games, Panthers and Oilers relish days off as Stanley Cup Final shifts to Florida
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — After Brad Marchand scored the winning goal in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, he and Florida Panthers teammate Sam Bennett were asked how they kept their bodies going during another long and intense matchup against the Edmonton Oilers. 'I think (Marchand) grabbed a Blizzard … I think it was Oreo today,' Bennett quipped, referring to a viral moment during the Eastern Conference finals when Marchand joked that he enjoyed a chocolate chip cookie dough treat from Dairy Queen between periods — which was later revealed as a spoonful of honey. 'Nice plug,' Marchand responded with a chuckle. 'I like that.' They were joking, of course, but there was a point in Friday night's double-overtime game that Marchand spent time between periods pedaling on an exercise bike to stay loose — as players from both teams shuffled their tired bodies on and off the ice for hours. The first two games of the Stanley Cup Final have gone to overtime, only the sixth time in NHL history that's happened and first since 2014. Game 1 went on until Leon Draisaitl's power-play goal 19:29 into the extra period. Marchand put Game 2 to an end with a breakaway goal 8:07 into the second overtime. With the series tied 1-1, both teams will embark on a cross-continent trip from Canada to Florida, enjoying an extra day's rest between games to recover after an intense start to their championship series. Game 3 is Monday night in Sunrise, Florida. 'Obviously a long game, a lot of back and forth,' said Florida defenseman Seth Jones, who led the Panthers in ice time at 34 minutes, 35 seconds on Friday. Jones, who is averaging a team-high 25:45 on the ice in the postseason, played more than 30 minutes in both of the first two games of the series. He scored in the first period on Friday — his fourth goal of the postseason — and assisted on Dmitry Kulikov's goal in the second. 'We came here for a split and got it,' Jones added, 'and just going to recover now.' Panthers coach Paul Maurice said heading back to Florida with the series tied — instead of being down 0-2 — does make a minor mental difference, but one of his team's strengths is its tunnel vision approach. 'It's mathematically significant,' Maurice said. 'I'd like to think that we'd be dragging here today, this morning, if we had lost that game having had the lead for so long. But I think we're really good at cutting it off. 'It's the same morning this morning at the meal room as it was two days ago (after the Game 1 loss). It's just on to the next day. We understand how to leave our days — the good ones and the bad ones — in the past and handle the day we have right now.' The Oilers are moving forward in the series with an equally short memory after missed chances in Game 2. Corey Perry, whose goal with 17.8 seconds left in the third period forced overtime, said the back-and-forth nature of the series was to be expected from the two teams, but there's no use in getting hung up on 'what-ifs.' 'What's it going to do?' Perry said. 'It's not going to do anything for you now. Get on the plane tomorrow and get some rest and be ready for Game 3.' Few players have spent more time on the ice in the series than Connor McDavid. The Edmonton star played 31:12 in Game 1, and just over 35 minutes in Game 2 — more than anyone else in the game. That's nearly 10 minutes more than his postseason average of 24:22. McDavid's impact was certainly felt on Friday. He had three assists, including one in which he zipped through Florida's penalty kill to set up Draisaitl's power play goal in the first. Draisaitl noted after the game there's only one player in the world that can make such a highlight-reel play, but stressed the importance of using the two days off to recalibrate. 'At this time of year, you've got to move on,' he said, 'There's not time thinking about it too long. Obviously it stings right now, but we have to move on.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
Edmonton Journal
an hour ago
- Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Oilers need to up their gamesmanship to Florida's Rat Level
Article content Through two games and nearly nine full periods of hockey there is still nothing to choose between the Oilers and Panthers. Each side has one win, each side has eight goals and each side will tell you it's going only getting tighter from here. This is shaping up to be the best Stanley Cup Final in a very long time, a vicious, fast-paced neck-and-neck conflict between the two most powerful teams in the NHL. And all we know for sure is that after stealing home ice advantage with Friday's 5-4 double-overtime win, it's advantage Florida. Some thoughts, observations and advice as the Oilers head to the Florida swamp for Games 3 and 4: COOKING WITH OIL The Panthers are getting into Edmonton's kitchen. They're slopping pancake batter all over the counter, cooking bacon without using the splatter guard, leaving toast crumbs in the butter and egg shells wherever they fall. They left a royal mess behind in Game 2 and now it's on the Oilers to clean it up.
Global News
2 hours ago
- Global News
‘He's a battler': Veteran Corey Perry playing key role for Oilers in Stanley Cup final
Mark Hunter remembers pulling Corey Perry aside for a chat. The co-owner and general manager of the Ontario Hockey League's London Knights wanted to make sure his player understood the consequences. 'Grit, hitting people and punching people,' Hunter recalled of the skinny teenager's on-ice approach. 'He was like 160 pounds … 'Seriously Corey, don't be doing that. You might get hurt by somebody.' 'But he didn't want to be pushed around. There was desire to be the best.' Story continues below advertisement Not much has changed. The 40-year-old Oilers winger in his 20th NHL season is playing important minutes and making big contributions as Edmonton sits tied 1-1 with Florida in a Stanley Cup final rematch. Promoted to the team's top line alongside superstar captain Connor McDavid since Zach Hyman suffered a dislocated wrist last round, Perry forced overtime with 17.8 seconds remaining in regulation in Friday's Game 2 before the defending champion Panthers secured a 5-4 victory in double OT. The motivation remains the same as when he played for the Knights. 'To win,' said Perry, who was selected 28th overall by Anaheim at the 2003 draft and won his only Cup with the Mighty Ducks in 2007. 'I love being around the rink, I love being around the guys, I love the competitive fire that's still inside me.' The Peterborough, Ont., product joined the Oilers midway through last season following an ugly end to his brief stint with the Chicago Blackhawks. 1:36 Edmonton Oilers sign veteran forward Corey Perry Signed to mentor an up-and-coming roster, the club terminated his deal in November 2023 after alleging he violated his standard player contract and team policies 'intended to promote professional and safe work environments.' Neither the Blackhawks nor Perry were willing to provide details. Story continues below advertisement Perry apologized for his actions and said he'd started seeking help for alcohol abuse before signing with Edmonton after a meeting with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The situation that happened, it happened,' Perry said earlier this week. 'I've dealt with it and I've learned from it. It was unfortunate.' McDavid said Perry's calming presence was for a team that roared back to force Game 7 in last year's final against the Panthers after falling behind 3-0 in the title series. View image in full screen Oilers forwards Corey Perry (90) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, back right, celebrate Perry's tying goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final in Edmonton, on Friday, June 6, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck 'Makes great, subtle, little plays,' said Edmonton's No. 97. 'His gamesmanship, understands the ebbs and flows of the games, the intricacies that not every fan sitting at home understands. He's played in every big game.' Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Perry was crucial in last year's run to the final that ended in heartbreak. Story continues below advertisement 'Allowed the team to settle things down,' said the second-year head coach. 'When he spoke, guys listened because of the respect that they have for him.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "When he spoke, guys listened because of the respect that they have for him." Dale Hunter — Mark's brother and the Knights' head coach who had Perry in London from 2001 to 2005 — said his passion for the game hasn't wavered. 'He's a battler,' said Dale Hunter, who won the Memorial Cup with Perry in his final junior season before the Knights also climbed Canadian junior hockey's mountain in 2016 and again last month. 'He loved hockey, and it's never changed.' The Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP in 2011 with Anaheim has 448 goals and 487 assists for 935 points across 1,392 contests with six franchises over his two decades in the league. He's added 62 goals, including eight this spring alone, and 77 assists for 139 points in 233 playoff contests. Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse said he and Perry, who is in his sixth Cup final and plans to play a 21st campaign in 2025-26, have talked about their past battles. 'We've had some fun moments,' said Nurse. 'He's been so important for this group – the experience and all the big moments that he's played in.' Perry, who had 19 goals and 11 assists in 81 games in 2024-25 while averaging just under 12 minutes of ice time, said getting ready each summer — especially the short ones after long post-season runs — is an increasing challenge. Story continues below advertisement 'You try to give your body some time to rest,' he said. 'But you're also like, 'Man, we've got to be back in camp in six weeks.'' These are good times for Perry. His seven-year-old son, Griffin, is a staple around the Oilers, including at NHL media day before the start of the Cup final. He's also been through some tough times. Apart from the contract termination in Chicago, he was bought out of the final two years of his long-term deal with the Ducks in June 2019 for salary-cap reasons. 'The highest of highs and some pretty low moments,' he said. 'I use that as motivation.' Mark Hunter said players — their desires and priorities — often change with age. Story continues below advertisement But not Perry. 'They lose that gleam in their eye,' Hunter said. 'If you watch him, there is excitement, passion, desire, loving the moment. It's hard to find at 40. People don't usually have that, but he does. 'Makes him special.' –with files from The Canadian Press' Daniel Rainbird
