Panthers even Cup series with Oilers on Brad Marchand's 2OT goal

Brad Marchand scored the overtime winning goal to give the visiting Florida Panthers a roller coaster-ride 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday and evened the Stanley Cup Final.

After the Panthers surrendered a final-minute Oilers goal to force overtime, they recovered thanks to Marchand's breakaway tally at 8:05 of the second overtime period, his second tally of the night.

Seth Jones collected one goal and one assist while Sam Bennett and Dmitry Kulikov notched singles for the Panthers, who tied the best-of-seven series at 1. Nate Schmidt and Anton Lundell added a pair of assists for the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 42 saves, his biggest against a Kasperi Kapanen chance off a rush minutes before the winner.

Both games went to overtime after the Panthers surrendered third-period leads.

The series moves to Sunrise, Fla., for Game 3 on Monday.

Evan Bouchard scored once in a three-point game for the Oilers, while Leon Draisaitl netted one goal and one assist and Evander Kane and Corey Perry scored once. Connor McDavid posted three assists and goalie Stuart Skinner stopped 37 shots.

Just like the series opener, both teams staked and lost a lead. Bennett kicked off the wild first period with his league-high 13th goal of the playoffs, a quick-release, power-play marker at the 2:07 mark.

The Oilers responded with a pair of tallies 100 seconds apart before the midway point of the frame. Kane put the hosts on the board at 7:39 by burying a shot off the wing, and Bouchard gave Edmonton its first lead right after when his second attempt from the high slot found the sweet spot.

Jones evened the score at 11:37 of the period when he found an open net after a cross-ice feed from Eetu Luostarinen. However, Draisaitl made it a 3-2 game exactly one minute later with a tap-in power-play goal set up by McDavid.

Kulikov again tied the clash at 8:23 of the second period, banking his point shot off Bouchard's body, and Marchand's short-handed breakaway goal, gave the Panthers a 4-3 edge at 12:09 of the second period.

But with the goalie pulled for the extra attacker, Perry chipped into the net a loose puck with 17.8 seconds remaining in regulation, the latest tying goal in Finals history.

--Field Level Media