Oilers drag Panthers back to Alberta with Game 5 win: Grades, takeaways, early look at Game 6
-
Ryan S. Clark
-
Kristen Shilton
With the Stanley Cup in the building for a second straight game, the Florida Panthers couldn’t quite muster enough in Game 5 to clinch, as the Edmonton Oilers skated away with a 5-3 victory.
The game started mildly enough, with a 1-0 Oilers lead after one frame. Things got wild in the second period, with five goals combined from the two teams. While the Panthers got within one in the third, they couldn’t get the equalizer, and Connor McDavid scored an empty-net goal to put the capper on the festivities.
It was a four-point night for McDavid, who continues his climb up the single-playoff points leaderboard. His 42 points in this playoff run are five shy of Wayne Gretzky (1985) for the most all time.
We’re here to break it all down for you. Here are our grades for both teams, along with takeaways that stuck out the most, key players to watch and the big questions left unanswered prior to Game 6 (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+).
Panthers grade: B-
Florida checked in late to Game 5 and ran out of runway to seal the deal on the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship — again.
The Panthers gave up a shorthanded goal less than six minutes into the first period, and that appeared to deflate the team in a way where it didn’t recover until well into the second frame. By then, the Panthers were already trailing by multiple goals, a deficit too difficult to climb out of at the best of times — let alone when up against a desperate opponent.
Florida did find its legs eventually and looked dangerous for most of the third period, but while the Panthers’ depth skaters showed up, not enough of Florida’s stars — Sam Reinhart? Aleksander Barkov? Carter Verhaeghe? — did the same. Edmonton’s elite skaters performed as exactly that Tuesday. The Panthers’ best better be prepared to do the same in Game 6.
Oilers grade: B+
Scoring eight goals in Game 4 allowed the Oilers to extend the series. But that was no guarantee they could find cohesion in Game 5; as it turns out, they did.
Once again, the Oilers scored the first goal and built a three-goal lead. Their power play went from searching for answers to searching for more goals. They had moments when their ability to suppress shots was evident, which was the case when the Panthers failed to launch a shot over the final 14 minutes of the first period. Plus, they blocked 26 shots in support of Stuart Skinner.
They also had some challenging moments which saw them enter survival mode. In the second period, they allowed 16 shots and two goals, one of them coming less than 30 seconds after they had pushed the lead to 4-1. That second-period surge kept the Panthers within reach before Oliver Ekman-Larsson‘s goal just 4:04 into the third made life a bit challenging for the Oilers. In the final frame, Edmonton had only four shots while allowing 11. Nevertheless, they had just enough to pull this one out.
What we learned in Game 5
Florida’s special teams are a problem
The Panthers had done a masterful job early in the series of holding off Edmonton’s potent power play. But the Oilers have been turning the tide there, and Florida looks increasingly vulnerable in an area that was once a true strength. Edmonton opened the scoring in Game 5 with a nifty shorthanded goal by Connor Brown, and then scored two power-play goals.
Meanwhile, Florida never capitalized on its own chances, going 0-for-3 on the power play. Tightly contested series are rarely won at even strength; Florida must hold Edmonton at bay on special teams too if it expects to come away with a Cup.
Sergei Bobrovsky can’t win alone
Florida leaned into its exceptional goaltending throughout the postseason. But Bobrovsky was aided by what was once a stellar defensive commitment from the players in front of him.
That’s dwindled over the past two games, and Bobrovsky has looked more exposed as a result. Perhaps it’s the jitters associated with trying to close a team out and win a Cup, but Florida’s once-impenetrable appearance collapsing on the Oilers in the offensive zone wasn’t nearly as apparent in the first half of Game 5, and it cost the Panthers a win.
Florida has to get back to protecting the house and giving Bobrovsky a better chance to do his best work.
That Oilers power-play unit might be fine going forward
Remember that time when the Oilers’ power play struggled to find shots, let alone goals, and it led to questions about what was going wrong? A power-play goal in Game 4 was followed by two more with the extra skater advantage in Game 5.
McDavid made the point that the Oilers gradually find answers against opposing penalty kills — and he has a point. The Oilers went through similar struggles in the beginning of the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Stars, only to score four power-play goals combined in Games 5 and 6 to close out the series.
0:44
Zach Hyman doubles Oilers’ lead with tip off slap shot
Evan Bouchard fires, but the puck tips off Zach Hyman’s stick for the Oilers score in the second period.
We might need to have a conversation about Evan Bouchard
Bouchard’s three assists in Game 5 do more than add to his stellar 2024 postseason — they open up a larger discussion about where he fits within the landscape of the game’s top young defensemen.
It’s reached a point that having a young, puck-moving top-four option has almost become a necessity to win or at least be in a position to win in today’s NHL. Miro Heiskanen‘s 26 points in 27 playoff games in 2020 helped the Stars reach the Cup Final while bolstering Heiskanen’s reputation. The same went for Cale Makar in 2022 when he finished with 29 points in 20 playoff games and helped the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup.
Bouchard’s 32 points through 23 games now have him five points shy of tying Oilers assistant coach Paul Coffey’s record of most points by a defensemen in a single postseason. And for anyone who might not have been familiar with Bouchard, this postseason serves as a launching pad for him to be included in that top defenseman discussion.
Players to watch in Game 6
Matthew Tkachuk, LW, Panthers
It took until Game 5, but Tkachuk finally had his best game of the Cup Final on Tuesday. The Panthers’ top forward was a force at both ends of the ice, setting up teammates, scoring himself and drawing penalties. Tkachuk hadn’t had that sort of all-around impact yet against Edmonton, and it was much needed — especially if he can channel that energy again in Game 6.
It was little wonder that the stronger Tkachuk became, the better Florida performed down the stretch in Game 5. He should be ready and able to set the tone in Game 6, and his teammates will be prepared to follow that lead from puck drop.
Connor McDavid, C, Oilers
Choosing McDavid as the player to watch ahead of Game 6 is essentially the hockey equivalent of why florals in spring are groundbreaking. But at the same time, how could he not be the choice?
He went from not having one goal through the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final to having a goal and four points just in Game 4. He followed that up in Game 5 by scoring two goals and two assists. He is now the favorite to win the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP, according to ESPN BET.
While it’s the sort of production that comes with the mantle of being the best player in hockey, let’s take a breath and remember that McDavid is doing this during a Cup Final that has seen his team go from being swept to forcing a Game 6.
1:53
Connor McDavid plays hero for Oilers with 4-point performance
Connor McDavid leads the Oilers back to Edmonton with a two-goal, two-assist night in Game 5.
Big questions for Game 6
Can the Panthers put this series away?
It’s one thing to close out an opponent in the first or second round of a playoff series. It’s another thing entirely for Florida to close the book on Edmonton and claim the Cup.
The Panthers have allowed their opponent to dictate too much early on in the past two games, and it has put them in a position to play catch up. The Panthers have now failed to clinch at home or away, and Edmonton had every reason to believe it can complete the most improbably of comebacks in this series.
It’s time for Florida to show its mettle by putting a dagger in the Oilers before this Cup Final reaches a Game 7 situation that frankly Florida just doesn’t want to find itself in — especially not when McDavid is playing like a human cheat code.
Have the Oilers figured out the Panthers’ forecheck, and in turn, Bobrovsky?
Go back to what the Oilers did in the third period of Game 3. Even though they couldn’t force overtime, they did get two goals in the final frame, which is as many as they had in the series total before that point. Those goals signaled that the Oilers might have found a breakthrough against the Panthers’ forecheck and, potentially, Bobrovsky.
Scoring eight goals in Game 4 reinforced that idea, with the caveat that it was just one game. Scoring a shorthanded goal, a power-play goal and one in 5-on-5 play in Game 5 proved that the Oilers could generate chances in every sequence. McDavid’s goal that gave the Oilers a 3-0 lead capped a stretch that saw the Oilers score 12 of the past 13 goals in the series at that time, adding to the belief they may have finally found answers to their biggest problem.
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike