Getting better with age, Marchand scores twice in the Panthers' Game 5 win over the Oilers
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — It's 2011 all over again for Brad Marchand, who at 37 is showing signs he's actually getting better with age in inching the Florida Panthers within a victory of their second straight Stanley Cup title.
Marchand scored twice, including being credited with his second winning goal of the Cup Finals, in a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night. In bouncing back from squandering a 3-0 lead in Game 4 on Thursday, the Panthers return home with a 3-2 series lead for Game 6 on Tuesday.
'Yeah, we've been pretty good at bouncing back all playoffs,' Marchand said. 'We learned a pretty good lesson last game.'
Of his 10 playoff goals, six have come in the Cup final series, making Marchand the 18th player to do so in the final and first since Edmonton's Esa Tikkanen scored that many in 1988. And Marchand, who scored five times in Boston's 2011 Cup-winning final series over Vancouver, joined Mario Lemieux in becoming just the second player over the past 50 years to score five or more times in multiple Cup finals.
He also became the oldest player to do it.
Acquired by Florida at the NHL trade deadline in March, the former Boston captain opened the scoring Saturday night midway through the first period. And then essentially sealed the victory by putting Florida up 3-0 at the 5:12 mark of the third.
Both goals were scored in similar fashion, with Marchand jumping on a loose puck, putting his head down and driving to the net.
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CBS News
14 minutes ago
- CBS News
Getting better with age: Marchand scores twice in Florida Panthers' Game 5 win over Edmonton Oilers
At 37, Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand might not only be getting better with age in the 14 years since winning his first and only Stanley Cup title. Some might even suggest he's still got his looks, too, as Marchand joked on Saturday night. "Man, that guy's good looking," Marchand said with a laugh when asked what the 23-year-old version of himself might have to say in reflecting back to winning the Cup in his second NHL season with the Boston Bruins in 2011. Looks aside, what's definitely not changed is Marchand's scoring touch, which has placed him in elite company in Stanley Cup Final lore. Florida Panthers' Brad Marchand (63) scores against Edmonton Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard (30) during the first period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) JASON FRANSON / AP The former Bruins captain, acquired by Florida at the NHL trade deadline in March, scored twice, including being credited with the winner, in a 5-2 victory over Edmonton to give the Panthers a 3-2 edge in their Cup final series. The series shifts to Florida on Tuesday night. "Like I've said plenty of times, trying to enjoy the moment. It's a pretty special group to be a part of, and I'm having a lot of fun," said Marchand, who has scored 10 times this postseason, six in the final. "It's just how it plays out sometimes. Sometimes you get bounces. Sometimes you don't." Lucky bounces had little to do with Marchand's goals on Saturday night, with both coming with him putting his head down, out-muscling defenders and driving to the net. Marchand opened the scoring 9:12 in by pouncing on a loose puck off a center-ice faceoff, pushing past defender Mattias Ekholm and sneaking the puck through the legs of goalie Calvin Pickard. Marchand then made it 3-0 some five minutes into the third period by driving up the left wing, jumping by Jake Walman, and backhanding a shot under Pickard for what stood as the decisive goal. He became the 18th player — and oldest — to score six times in one final series, and first since Edmonton's Esa Tikkanen scored that many in 1988. And Marchand, who scored five times in Boston's 2011 Cup-winning final series over Vancouver, joined Mario Lemieux in becoming just the second player over the past 50 years to score five or more times in multiple Cup finals. It also marked his 16th career playoff game-winning goal, moving Marchand into a tie for 10th on the NHL list with Jaromir Jagr and Patrick Marleau. Florida Panthers' Anton Lundell (15) and Brad Marchand (63) celebrate after a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the third period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, June 14, 2025. ( Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) JASON FRANSON / AP "He's amazing. He's been a leader for us," goalie Sergei Bobrovsky said of Marchand. "He has been scoring big goals for us, and tonight he made a hell of an effort by himself." Teammate Anton Lundell was in awe in helping set up Marchand's opening goal by winning the faceoff. "That's just him. He just has that passion, which you saw today," Lundell said. "He decided he wanted to go there and be the difference maker, and he did that. Unbelievable player, and we're all pretty amazed by him." The Panthers maintained their road dominance by improving to 10-3 away from Florida to match the 2019 St. Louis Blues' record for most road wins in one postseason. Sam Bennett scored his team-leading 15th goal — and 13th on the road — of the playoffs, while Bobrovsky made 19 saves as the Panthers essentially suffocated the high-scoring Oilers. The win came two days after Florida blew a 3-0 lead in a 5-4 overtime loss in Game 4. And it puts the Panthers in position to join Tampa Bay (2020 and '21) as the only two teams to repeat as champions in the 2000s. Marchand is making his fourth Cup final appearance after Boston lost to St. Louis in 2019 and Chicago in 2013. "I'm not there yet," he said, when asked of the prospect of winning a second title. "It's about process. That's all we're going to worry about, process, structure. So we'll look at a few things and get prepared."
NBC Sports
44 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Oilers dealing with Stanley Cup Final goalie debate heading into Game 6
When the Edmonton Oilers face elimination in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night against the Florida Panthers, either Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard will lead them on to the ice as their starting goaltender. The defending champion Panthers have no such debate. Two-time Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky has started 63 consecutive playoff games going back to early in the playoffs in 2023, and he is a big reason they are on the cusp of winning a second consecutive title. 'He puts so much time into his focus and his ability and then the experience that he has, so there's a calmness that comes with Sergei that's spread throughout the team,' coach Paul Maurice said Sunday. 'He's the incredible, elite player that gets totally underappreciated: taken for granted, I guess, by us because he's so consistent with his game.' Bobrovsky has stopped 165 of the 181 shots on net during the final, allowing 16 goals with a save percentage of .912. Skinner and Pickard have combined to stop 141 of 163, allowing 22 with respective save percentages of .860 and .878. Many of those goals scored by Florida and allowed by Edmonton had more to do with the skaters in front of whoever is in the crease, hence a rotating door at hockey's most important position in the final. Skinner started the first four, Pickard entered Game 4 and won in relief, then lost Game 5. Skinner will probably get the nod in Game 6, but coach Kris Knoblauch is not saying which way he's leaning. 'It's not an easy decision,' Knoblauch said. 'We've got two goalies that have shown that they can play extremely well, win hockey games and we feel that no matter who we choose, they can win the game.' That confidence is even stronger around the Panthers, given how steady Bobrovsky has been. Even though Game 5 turned into a rout, Maurice credited the goalie known as 'Bob' for a handful of important early saves to make it possible. It is something Bobrovsky has done all series, all playoffs and all season for a long time. 'He keeps us in the game so many times at key moments and is making huge saves,' top defenseman Gustav Forsling said. 'He always gives us a chance to win every night. He's been amazing for us.' Bobrovsky at 36 is adored by teammates. Aaron Ekblad, who has played with him for six seasons, called him simply the best. 'We love him,' Ekblad said. 'There's no doubt about it.' That admiration has been earned. Bobrovsky has developed a reputation for his tireless work on dry land and the practice habits on the ice that have translated into results: a lot of winning. It's no coincidence the Panthers have won 10 of 11 playoff series since Bobrovsky took over for Alex Lyon three games into the first round in 2023. 'He just sticks kind of to the same routine, and his preparation is unlike anything I've ever seen while being in this league,' forward Evan Rodrigues said. 'It almost becomes routine some of the incredible saves he makes.' There is nothing routine about how the Oilers' goaltending has developed over the course of the final. Skinner and Pickard have each been hung out to dry by turnovers, mistakes and missed coverages. They have also made some unexpected stops along the way to keep this series going. 'They've both been amazing,' veteran winger Corey Perry said. 'It doesn't matter who's in the net or who's back there. We have trust in both of them.' Maurice, who has coached more games in the NHL than anyone but nine-time Stanley Cup champion Scotty Bowman, has made it clear he knows nothing about goaltending and has no interest in learning about it. But he has defended all the goaltenders in this final between 'two really powerful offensive teams' with plenty of star power. Still, Bobrovsky has the ability to swing it in Florida's direction with another of the performances his team has come to expect from him. 'His ability to focus is trained — maybe it's a talent,' Maurice said. 'If one gets by him that he doesn't like, it has nothing to do with what's going to happen next.'
News24
an hour ago
- News24
F1: Canadian GP
13m ago 19m ago 27m ago 34m ago 13h ago Russell grabs dazzling pole then jokes at Verstappen's expense Mercedes' George Russell grabbed a dazzling pole position and then enjoyed cracking a joke at rival Max Verstappen's expense on Saturday after clocking a sensational lap in qualifying for Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix. The 27-year-old Briton was delighted with what he described as 'one of the most exhilarating laps of my life' and said, when asked about the prospect of starting alongside Red Bull's four-time champion, that he had 'a few more penalty points to play with'. His light-hearted jibe referred to his verbal rivalry with Verstappen since last season and their recent clash at the Spanish Grand Prix -- where the Dutchman rammed into Russell's car in the closing stages. Verstappen was handed a timed penalty that dropped him to 10th and also given three points on his drivers' super-licence, taking him to a total of 11 and within one point of a ban if he commits any further misdemeanours. Fans in the capacity crowd at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve roared their approval as Russell warmed to his theme after clocking the only sub 1.11 lap of the weekend to date. "We're mates, so it's all good,' insisted Russell, despite his tense and often strained relationship with Verstappen who, in Barcelona, said 'give him some tissues' after their clash. 'But I've got a few more points on my license to play with so, yeah, let's see,' Russell said. It may have been good-natured fun, but it was also a reminder to Verstappen that he cannot risk repeating his 'red mist' aggression and a possible race ban on Sunday. Russell captured his first pole this year at the end of a thrilling session. Russell clocked a best lap in one minute and 10.899 seconds to outpace Verstappen by 0.160 seconds. 'On my steering wheel, you've got the delta, and I just saw every corner that I was just going one-tenth quicker, and I got into the last corner, and I was six-tenths off, so I knew the lap was mighty,' Russell said. 'Crossing the line and seeing we were P1 was a real surprise, but I was so chuffed with it. It was probably one of the most exhilarating laps of my life, an awesome experience in front of this amazing crowd.' Verstappen, who is third in this year's drivers' title race behind the McLaren pair Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, shook hands with Russell to congratulate him, but will harbour hopes of claiming an unprecedented fourth consecutive Canadian win. Last year, Russell led from pole for 20 laps before pitting to hand the lead to Norris for five laps until he also pitted. Verstappen then took control to win ahead of Norris with Russell coming home third. "I'm very happy with what we have achieved to be on the front row,' said Verstappen, having claimed Red Bull's 200th front row start. 'Tomorrow, we can have a solid race. We did the right thing with the tyres.' Asked about starting alongside Russell, the champion refused to comment, showing real irritation about the speculation on penalty points and bans. "I'm not talking about it anymore,' he said, having already confirmed he would not change his aggressive style. "It's a waste of time to discuss this. It's so childish and it is really annoying." Russell's sixth career pole confirmed Mercedes' potential for success at the high-speed Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The late-session drama lifted the oft-warring pair clear of championship leader Piastri and Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was fifth for Ferrari ahead of two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin, Norris in the second McLaren and Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari. Impressive rookie Isack Hadjar was ninth for Racing Bulls and Alex Albon 10th for Williams. Piastri, who leads Norris by 10 points in the title race after nine of this year's 24 races, was happy to recover form after a difficult practice. 'To be honest, after how practice went, I am pretty happy,' he said. 'We chose to go with softs ... We wanted to keep it safe.' - AFP 14 June 20:27 Norris tops final practice at Canadian Grand Prix Lando Norris bounced back from a forlorn Friday to top the times for McLaren ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in Saturday's third and final practice at the Canadian Grand Prix. Norris clocked a best lap in one minute and 11.799 seconds to outpace Leclerc by 0.078 seconds with Mercedes' George Russell a tenth adrift in third place ahead of Lewis Hamilton, the seven-times champion showing revived pace in his Ferrari. It was an intriguing and closely competed hour of action that suggested all of the leading four teams are in contention to take pole position in qualifying later on Saturday. Four-time champion Max Verstappen was fifth for Red Bull ahead of two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin, Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes and championship leader Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren. Piastri was seven-tenths adrift of team-mate Norris, who trails him by 10 points at the top of the drivers' championship after nine of this year's 24 races and endured what he described as his "worst Friday of the season" the previous day. Carlos Sainz was ninth ahead of his Williams team-mate Alex Albon, pushing impressive rookie Isack Hadjar of RB down to 11th in front of another big crowd at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Overnight news of the FIA's decision to suspend British steward Derek Warwick was a hot topic in the paddock, along with a two-year contract extension for the Las Vegas race, ahead of the session, which began hesitantly in mild and dry conditions. The first drama arrived after 22 minutes when Piastri slapped the 'Wall of Champions'' on exit from the final chicane, suffering a punctured rear tyre. He limped to the pits, dropping debris that triggered a six-minute red-flag stoppage. After his complaints on Friday, Verstappen was still having issues with his brakes, grumbling about "lacking bite with this material" while Red Bull team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was in the pits and without a competitive lap. Norris improved to go top with 12 minutes remaining. - AFP 14 June 12:14 Russell fastest for Mercedes ahead of Norris as Verstappen struggles in second practice George Russell powered his Mercedes to the top of the times ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris in Friday's second practice for this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix. As four-time champion Max Verstappen struggled to reprise his pace-setting form for Red Bull in the opening practice session, Russell clocked a best lap in one minute and 12.123 seconds to beat Norris by 0.028 seconds. Russell's Mercedes team-mate teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli was third ahead of Williams' Alex Albon, two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin and championship leader Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren. It was clear that McLaren were taking a measured approach to the weekend as they tested updated front wing and suspension. Carlos Sainz was seventh for Williams ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the sole Ferrari, after team-mate Charles Leclerc had crashed and damaged his car in first practice. Verstappen was ninth ahead of the two Red Bulls of Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar. For Russell, who started on pole last year, it was an encouraging session on a bright and clear day at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where Ferrari are revered. It was the first time Russell had been fastest in a practice this year. "It's nice," Russell said after the session. "It might be my first time topping a leaderboard this year, 10 races in. So obviously, it's been a very positive day." The action began with a range of tyres chosen for use after the earlier session in which Leclerc had crashed and badly damaged the survival cell in his Ferrari. That required prolonged work to replace it and he was ruled out of FP2. Pressure on Ferrari All this heaped more pressure on Ferrari and Hamilton as media speculation swirled and team boss Fred Vasseur hit back at "stupid" stories that threatened to undermine their season. Russell set an early quickest lap before Stroll, the local hero, hit the wall at Turn Seven and damaged his Aston Martin's front wheels. His race engineer Gary Gannon asked him to stop and park, his session over. In improving conditions, Norris on mediums found his groove to go top before Albon and then Russell took control, the Mercedes man eight-tenths faster than his pole lap last year. Verstappen expressed his frustration at his Red Bull's handling. "The car's jumping crazy at the rear," he said, a complaint similar to one from Hamilton who reported "the rear keeps kicking out" asking his engineer for help. Back on one of his favourite circuits, where he shares a record of seven wins with Michael Schumacher, Hamilton was showing pace to rise to second behind the ever-improving Russell, on mediums. Both McLarens soon climbed into the top 10 after taking a methodical approach to the use of their new upgrades, Norris rising to second, but Mercedes with Russell on top and Antonelli third, appeared to be strongest with 15 minutes remaining. As the teams began race-trim runs, there were 17 drivers separated by one second, ahead of Franco Colapinto's Alpine – clear evidence that a closely-fought contest is in prospect for Saturday's critical qualifying. - AFP 13 June 21:21 Verstappen on top in opening practice after Leclerc crashes Defending four-time champion Max Verstappen topped the times for Red Bull ahead of both Williams cars in Friday's crash-hit opening practice at the Canadian Grand Prix. The 27-year-old Dutchman, who has won the last three Canadian races, clocked a fastest lap time in one minute and 13.193 seconds to outpace Alex Albon by 0.039 seconds -- after Charles Leclerc crashed in his Ferrari. The session was red-flagged and delayed following Leclerc's accident, in which he was unhurt, but it was a grim early blow for the under-scrutiny Ferrari team following a disappointing start to the season. It was the first time this year that Verstappen has topped a practice session. As the championship-leading McLarens worked on progression with an update package, Carlos Sainz was third in the second Williams, ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Ferrari. Isack Hadjar was sixth for Racing Bulls ahead of Lando Norris in his McLaren, Liam Lawson in the second Racing Bull and Pierre Gasly of Alpine. Leclerc was 10th fastest before his crash. The session was run in mild conditions on a 'green' and dirty track with Haas marking their 200th race weekend by returning to their original livery and Yuki Tsunoda hoping for a boost in form for his 100th race. McLaren were one of the few teams to bring upgrades –- front wing and suspension -- to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve where a packed Friday crowd generated plenty of atmosphere. After an early yellow flag when Franco Colapinto spun on his first flying lap, Hamilton briefly topped the times before Verstappen took control, grumbling as he did so that "my steering wheel feels heavy". Ten minutes later, Ferrari suffered a serious early blow when Leclerc, who had gone top, went off at Turn Four, his car sliding into the barriers. "Sorry," said the Monegasque driver. "I'm in the wall. I should have gone straight on." He was unhurt, but his Ferrari suffered serious front end damage. Amid all the speculation about the team's loss of form and the future of team boss Fred Vasseur, this was not the start they needed. After an eight-minute red flag break, Russell re-started the action which continued to provide unexpected thrills as drivers grappled with the conditions –- caused mainly by the circuit's lack of use for the rest of the year. In this period, Russell, Norris and then Hamilton all had twitchy moments or spins before Verstappen, chasing an unprecedented fourth consecutive Canadian win, clocked 1:13.863 to regain the initiative ahead of Leclerc and Russell. Gradually, the track conditions improved permitting Russell to go top in 1:13.535 while Nico Hulkenberg 'kissed' the 'wall of champions' so faintly it was indiscernible before Sainz and then Verstappen trimmed the top lap time again. The Dutchman then went so close to the wall that the circuit recorded the gap as -0 cms. Hulkenberg was within 0.4 cms according to the circuit TV graphic -– enough to avoid trouble in a relatively straightforward session on an improving track.
