Stanley Cup Final live blog, Panthers at Oilers Game 5

Welcome to Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers. The Panthers lead the best-of-7 3-2 after a 5-2 win in Game 5. NHL.com Editor-in-Chief Bill Price was inside Rogers Place to provide all the sights, sounds and highlights of Game 5.

10:48 p.m. ET

And that's it from Edmonton. The Panthers show why they are the defending Cup champs with a dominating 5-2 win here at Rogers Place.

It got a little tense late with the Oilers scoring one with the goalie pulled and trying to get some more.

Still, the Panthers held on with Eetu Luostarinen scoring an empty-netter with 1:19 left to finish it off.

Coming off a tough loss at home in Game 4 and playing less than 48 hours later, they showed poise, patience and grit in taking the Oilers and the crowd out of this one early and never let up.

Even when the Oilers scored to make it 3-1, the Panthers came right back to make it 4-1.

Now the question is what are the Oilers going to do between now and Tuesday to keep their season alive. Do they go back to Stuart Skinner in goal? Do they make any more lineup changes?

We will find out in the next few days.

As for the Rogers Place DJ, he finished strong with "Rock N' Roll Train" by AC/DC and "Renegades of Funk" by Rage Against the Machine and "Breed" by Nirvana. That's three Rage songs tonight. Kind of fitting for how this Edmonton crowd feels tonight.

Thanks for reading along. We are off the Florida. The live blog will be back on Tuesday but NHL.com will have wall-to-wall coverage every day.

10:46 p.m. ET

You can start the party again. Eetu Luostarinen scores into the open net with 1:19 left and it's a 5-2 game.

10:41 p.m. ET

Hold the Florida party just yet. Corey Perry just scored with 3:13 left and it's 4-2. The Oilers pulled Calvin Pickard with about five minutes left and it will stay that way.

This one is not over yet.

10:33 p.m. ET

We are under five minutes left and it certainly feels like the Panthers are going to win this game and head home with a chance to win the Cup on Tuesday night.

They played a great road game tonight, with Brad Marchand setting the tone early and late with two great goals.

The Panthers also played smothering defense and the Oilers and their high-powered attack of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl had no answer.

Still a lot of time left, but some fans are actually heading for the exits and others are just stunned at what's happened here tonight.

10:25 p.m. ET

Just when it looked like the Oilers were going to get back in the game, Sam Reinhart breaks their hearts with a goal at 9:10 and it's a three-game goal again.

There was some juice in this building after Connor McDavid scored to make it 3-1.

Alphonso Davies, a soccer player for Bayern Munich and the Canadian national team, was just shown on the big board and this place is really going bonkers as "Kickstart My Heart" by the Crue plays. The DJ is clearly trying to kickstart the Oilers, but it was Reinhart who kicked back.

10:20 p.m. ET

OMG.

Brad Marchand, who has scored so many big goals in this Final, just scored perhaps the goal of the year.

He picked up the puck at center ice, went around Jake Walman and then went forehand, backhand to beat Calvin Pickard through the legs.

To add insult to injury, he then knocked over Corey Perry after the goal.

It was an amazing play for a guy who has to be a Conn Smythe candidate.

But hold on the Oilers have shown some life. Connor McDavid just scored to make it 3-1 with 12:36 left and this place has life.

10:17 p.m. ET

The Oilers get the first thing out of the way in this period and kill off the Draisaitl penalty. Now they need to score. Maybe start with generating some offensive pressure first.

They have 11 shots through the first 45 minutes of the game. That is not going to get it done.

The fans are getting fed up. They are calling for a penalty every time an Oiler player hits the ice even if it's a clear non-penalty.

Now they are saying bad things about the refs. That's not very nice.

Not that anyone cares, but it's an absolute hike from our spot in the press box to the men's room. Now, I'm not the fastest walker but I'm no slow poke either and it took me 1:22 to walk each way. I didn't have time to stop at the nacho bar on the way back.

NHL.com Senior Director of Editorial Shawn Roarke did. He had some nachos, cheese and jalapenos in his little tray. I certainly hope I'm not sitting near him on the flight back to Florida tomorrow.

10:10 p.m ET

We have 20 minutes left in regulation and the Panthers are up 2-0.

They have taken the starch out of this crowd by playing smoothering defense and seemingly beating the Oilers to every loose puck.

It's really a credit to the Panthers that they have able to not only take the lead in this game but take the crowd somehwat out of it. And this is less than 48 hours after a crushing defeat in Game 4 on Thursday.

The crowd was juiced when this game began, but Brad Marchand's goal at 9:12 of the first changed the tone.

My son from New Jersey has chimed in to tell me that the Dick Dale song I referenced early is actually a Black Eyed Peas song that samples "Misirlou." It's called "Pump It."

It's nice to have kids who are up on music to help me with this stuff. I still confuse the Black Eyed Peas and the Black Keys.

9:52 p.m. ET

If the Oilers are going to rally this time, they will have to do it in the third period and will have to figure out a way to get at least three goals by Sergei Bobrovsky. That may not be so easy. It's 2-0 Panthers after two.

And the Panthers will be on the power play to start to third after Leon Draisaitl took a high sticking with 20 seconds left in the second. That's another bad stick penalty by the Oilers in this series.

They have been stifled all night by the Panthers forecheck, the Panthers' ability to win puck battles and board battles. It's only 2-0, but it feels like Florida is dominating this game.

Of course, one goal for Edmonton could change the whole tone of this game.

The DJ played some more Rage Against the Machine -- this time "Bulls on Parade."

Speaking of rage, the crowd is still chanting "Let's Go Oilers" but there is a little more frustration and anger behind it. This is what the Panthers can do at their best -- drive you crazy.

9:42 p.m ET

There was a lot of talk this morning about how good the Panthers have been on the road in these playoffs and tonight is a great example.

They are playing a near-perfect road game.

They are getting to loose pucks, they are winning board battles and they are not allowing the Oilers to get the puck out of their zone.

The Oilers have not been able to muster any offensive rhythm all night long and the crowd is getting frustrated. You can only imagine how the Oilers feel.

The get the crowd fired up, they just showed Chris Pronger on the big board. It worked -- for the crowd I mean.

With 5:31 left in the second, still 2-0 Florida.

9:37 p.m. ET

The DJ played a cool version of "Live and Let Die." Might have been the Guns N' Roses version.

By the way, if you want to strike it rich, you may want to get in on the Oilers 50/50. The prize is up to $6 million Canadian. Yes, that's million with an M.

The Oilers are pulling out all the stops to get the crowd going. First it was Grandpa Simpson on the big board and now the t-shirt guns are out.

What the Oilers really need is a goal to get this crowd going again. It's 2-0 Panthers with 8:32 left in the second.

9:33 p.m. ET

The Oilers are now 0-for-3 on the power play after they are stuffed again.

The Panthers are anticipating the pass to Draisailt in his PP spot and are deflecting the pass attempts before they get to him.

Corey Perry got absolutely crushed in front of the Panthers net. He's taking a beating trying to get his team on the board.

This was after Grandpa Simpson was shown on the scoreboard saying "Turn it Up."

The Oilers got their third power play when Sam Reinhart lifted the puck out of his zone and it went all the way across the ice and into the crowd. It was quite a heave.

The penalty came a few minutes after the Panthers fourth line put on a puck-possession clinic in the Oilers zone.

9:25 p.m. ET

We are five minutes into the second period and it's still 2-0 Florida despite Edmonton going on another power play.

The biggest save on the power play was Sergei Bobrovsky sliding over the stop Leon Draisaitl, who was shooting from his usual spot. The Oilers had three shots on goal on the PP and have seven for the game. Before that the Oilers had gone almost 14 minutes without a shot on goal.

The fans are chanting "Let's Go Oilers" but the home team has yet to get going.

9:16 p.m. ET

The second period has begun and the Oilers are in a similar spot to Game 4, this time trailing 2-0. They were down 3-0 after the first period on Thursday night.

The good news for the Oilers, they have done this before, just two days ago.

The bad news for the Oilers, it's hard to imagine the Panthers letting that happen again.

But as Herm Edwards said, "It's why you play the game."

The DJ just played "Narco" to start the period, but no sign of Edwin Diaz here.

It really feels like the next goal -- assuming there is one -- will go a long way in determining who wins this game.

But again, lots of hockey left here. At least 40 minutes and here we go.

Here's a great stat on Marchand, who scored the opening goal.

It was his series-leading fifth goal of the Final, the second time he has scored five times in the championship series after doing so in 2011 (5-2—7 in 7 GP). Marchand is the seventh player in NHL history to have five goals in multiple Stanley Cup Final series, and just the second to do so in the expansion era (since 1967-68), alongside Mario Lemieux (5 G in 1991 and 1992 w/ PIT).

8:58 p.m. ET

The first period is over and the Panthers appear to be in complete control, leading 2-0 on goals by Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett.

It's not so much the score it's the fact that the Oilers look somewhat stuck in the mud, while the Panthers win every puck battle, every board battle and every loose puck.

It's hard to believe the Oilers would come out flat in the first period for a second straight game, but they have. They were able to recover after falling behind 3-0 in Game 4, and it's 2-0 head.

The DJ just played "Unchained" by Van Halen -- "Nothing stays the same."

Then, after some light argy-bargy to end the period, the organist played "Wouldn't It Be Nice," certainly a tribute to the late, great Brian Wilson.

8:55 p.m. ET

It's gone from bad to worse here for the Oilers. The Panthers make it 2-0 with 1:54 left in the first when Sam Bennett scores, picking up a blocked Matthew Tkachuk shot and firing it past Calvin Pickard.

And now the Panthers are going on the power play.

The Bennett goal comes a few seconds after the Oilers don't score on the power play, in fact, that don't even come close to having a good scoring chance. The trend of the Panthers winning loose pucks, winning puck battles and being a step ahead continued during the man-advantage.

8:49 p.m. ET

The Panthers have certainly gotten some life from the Marchand goal. They are winning the puck battles, driving the play and seem to be a step ahead of the Oilers right now.

But the Oilers are going to the power play after Seth Jones is called for interference.

It's still 1-0 Florida with 4:16 left in the first. The Oilers fans are looking for any good sign here. One of the Oilers took a shot that hit the outside of the net, but the crowd saw the net move and for a second went bananas thinking it was a goal.

The Oilers mascot, Hunter, unquestionably the most frightening mascot in the League, is trying to get the crowd going after the Marchand goal.

The crowd was also upset thinking that Sam Bennett got away with an interference a shift or two after the goal.

8:39 p.m. ET

We have our first goal of the game and it's Brad Marchand, who brings the puck in after a center ice face-off, goes inside-out on Mattias Ekholm and beats Calvin Pickard on the glove side.

It certainly has taken some of the starch out of the crowd, which seems stunned by the goal.

During the first shovel break, they showed Zach Hyman, who is injured, up in the press box, and that really got the crowd going.

One fan had a sign that said "Do It for Hyman." It's a shame he can't play in this Final.

8:31 p.m. ET

Not only is the DJ spinning some good tunes, they have a live brass band here as well getting the crowd reved up. Honestly, I think the crowd doesn't need any help getting fired up at this point.

There is an absolute buzz any time an Oilers player crosses the Florida blueline with the puck.

The Oilers are putting the pressure on Bobrovsky, but he's been up to the challenge so far, making a few dazzing, sprawling saves early. Bob looks locked in, while Pickard hasn't really been tested yet. Still, the crowd is riding him with the "Sergei, Sergei" chants. I'm not sure it's working.

We have 13:11 left in the first and it's looks like we are going to have a tight game on our hands.

8:25 p.m. ET

Each Connor on the Oilers nearly blew the roof off this place early.

Oilers forward Connor Brown nearly scored just 31 seconds into the game, skating in alone on Sergei Bobrovsky, but he made the save.

A few minutes later, Connor McDavid came down, got off a shot, but it was blocked and then he fanned on a rebound shot.

The Oilers clearly have a spring in their step, but it's still 0-0 ealry on.

Like the fans did in Florida with Stuart Skinner and the "Skinner, Skinner" chants, "it's Sergei, Sergei" here.

The DJ is now breaking out Rage Against the Machine the get the fans going. Some "Guerrila Radio." I apologize for the bad words earlier about the J. Geils issue.

8:20 p.m. ET

The anthems -- which were epic -- are over and the puck has dropped.

The DJ is 100 percent on my good side. After "O Canada" he played some Dick Dale surf music to really set the tone.

It's absolutely bonkers in here. Would you expect anything else.

All eyes will be on Calvin Pickard in the Oilers net tonight. He starts after saving the Oilers bacon in Game 4.

The "Let's Go Oilers" chants haven't stopped in about the last 10 minutes, except for the anthems.

Here we go.

8:13 p.m. ET

The crowd is absolutely amped. First, they had game host Tony Brar on a video urging the fans to make the building shake and reminding them it's Oil Country. Then the DJ -- he's back on my good side -- played "Welcome to the Jungle" to jump it up a notch, then the "Let's Go Oilers" chants started and "Enter Sandman" played when the Oilers hit the ice.

I feel like I'm driving in a car with Shawn Roarke.

It's ear-splitting loud in here. Imagine if the Oilers get the the first goal.

It will be really interesting to see if there is any carryover from Game 4, which was less than 48 hours ago.

It's been a quick turnaround, with both teams getting to Edmonton early afternoon on Friday. And remember, this is a 6 p.m. local start here in Edmonton.

The NHL.com crew has a new look for this one -- Tom Gulitti has joined us while Tracey Myers stayed behind in Florida to rest up for Game 6.

The rest of the NHL.com crew is all sugared up after a media meal that featured an ice cream bar. There is also a candy/nacho bar up the in press room that me and Dan Rosen just checked out (see photo).

Ok, enough about candy, the NHL.com crew and food in general. It's go time.

7:57 p.m. ET

Warmups are over, the players are back in their rooms for final preparation.

The fans are still filing in and I'm sure as we get closer to puck drop it's going to be jam packed and the decibel level will be insane.

Not only are the Oilers two wins from the Cup, this series has been absolutely epic through the first four games.

I was not here for Games 1 and 2, so I'm looking forward to the anthems when the singer does both from the crowd and let's the crowd sing along to "O Canada."

Now, the DJ here in Edmonton is already on my bad side. Before the players came out he played a disco/techno pop version of “Centerfold” by J. Geils Band. It was Peter Wolf's voice, but is was all club music'd up. I mean, really? I will keep an eye on the DJ tonight and report back any other issues.

Now, I don’t want to get in the prediction business, but Declan, who runs the media elevator here in Edmonton, told us on the way up to the press box the final score will be 6-0 Oilers.

It’s a bold prediction.

For some other numbers, here are some to chew on from our NHL Stats crew:

-- This is the highest-scoring Stanley Cup Final through four games in 44 years and trails only three series in League history: 36 in 1981 (NYI vs. MNS), 36 in 1918 (Toronto Arenas vs. Vancouver Millionaires) and 33 in 1980 (PHI-NYI).

-- The 2025 Stanley Cup Final is tied for the second most overtime games in an entire championship series (3) and one of five in history to feature OT three times within the first four games, following 2013 (Blackhawks-Bruins in Games 1, 2 & 4), 1993 (Canadiens-Kings in Games 2, 3 & 4), 1951 (Maple Leafs-Canadiens in all five games of the series) and 1946 (Canadiens-Bruins in Games 1, 2 & 4).

-- There have been three comeback wins in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final (2 by EDM, 1 by FLA), the most in a Final since 2022 when there were three in the entire series between the Avalanche and Lightning. There have been only six Final series with at least four comeback wins overall: five in 1987, 1971 and 1950, as well as four in 1980, 1978 and 1964.

-- This is the ninth Stanley Cup Final in history to feature more than one multigoal comeback win (EDM has both) and first since 2014 (2 in LAK vs. NYR, both by LAK). Each Final with more than one multi-goal comeback victory: three in 1987 and 1950, as well as two in 2025, 2014, 1973, 1971, 1942, 1940 and 1931.

-- The 2025 Stanley Cup Final has featured a tying goal in the final minute in multiple contests (Games 2 & 4), the most in any Final in League history.

7:40 p.m. ET

We are about 40 minutes from puck drop and this town is absolutely buzzing. The series is even, the Oilers are coming off an emotional comeback win in Game 4 and Stanley Cup fever is super high.

Taking a walk to the arena the line to get into the Moss Pit was massive, stretching around several blocks. There had to be thousands of fans in the line to get into the outdoor area to watch the game.

The excitement was palpable.

And the weather was gorgeous. The rain and wind from this morning gave way to sunshine and autumn-like temperatures.

Oh, and some fans were posing with some signs that were taking some shots at the Panthers’ ice cream trips to a certain chain (see photo).

There is so much riding on this game. If the Oilers win, they have two chances to win the Cup on Tuesday in Game 6, and at worst, will be back here on Friday for Game 7. If the Oilers lose, this could be the last home game of the season.

Not surprisingly, Calvin Pickard will start in goal for the Oilers tonight after he played great in relief of Stuart Skinner in Game 4 and allowed Edmonton to come back.

Also, Viktor Arvidsson is back in the lineup for the Oilers, replacing Kasperi Kapanen.

While you wait for the game to start, here is some pregame reading for you from the crack NHL.com staff on our Stanley Cup Final landing page.