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We tried to tell you after Game 1. Unless one of these teams pulls ahead by a large margin early in the game, it’s likely that every contest between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final is going to be decided in the last 10 minutes — or at least one overtime period.

That’s what happened in Game 1 with the Oilers winning in overtime. It happened again Friday with the venerable Corey Perry scoring the game-tying goal with 18 seconds left to send it to OT. But it would take double overtime before another veteran, Brad Marchand, scored the game-winning goal to give the Panthers a 5-4 win. That draws the series level as the games head to South Florida, starting with Game 3 on Monday.

By now, you know how this works. How did both teams perform in another dramatic overtime contest? Who were the standout players for each side? And, as always, what are the major questions facing the Oilers and Panthers before Game 3?

The Oilers scored three first-period goals, only to give up two in the frame before giving up two more in the next period as they struggled to gain control.

Even with all of that, they found a way to score the game-tying goal late in the third period and force overtime for a consecutive game against the defending Stanley Cup champions.

There was so much up and down in Game 2, and yet the Oilers still had a chance to win — only to watch Marchand score the game-winner in double OT.

For as strong as the Oilers are at coming back, Game 2 reinforced the importance of taking advantage of their opportunities. They controlled possession in the third period with a 63.6% shot share and four high-danger scoring chances; they had a 51.2% shot share in the first OT, but still produced five high-danger scoring chances.

Heading to South Florida tied at 1-1 is still better than the alternative of trailing 0-2 in a series as they did a year ago. But given their OT chances, this was a missed opportunity to have a 2-0 lead heading into Game 3.

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Corey Perry ties game for Oilers with 18 seconds left

Corey Perry scores a miraculous goal for the Oilers with under 20 seconds left to send Game 2 to overtime.

How much risk is too much risk against a team that never really dies, but lives in a perpetual stasis knowing they could attack at any time?

This was arguably the most prominent question facing the Panthers in a first overtime during which they generated multiple scoring chances. There was the loose puck that slid underneath Stuart Skinner‘s pads that John Klingberg cleared out of the crease. There was the rebound that Skinner snared in mid-air, while Sam Reinhart‘s breakaway attempt went wide when it could have ended the game.

It began to appear as if the Panthers could be left to ruminate over another set of missed opportunities — only to have Marchand get his second breakaway of the evening to score the game-winning goal and tie the series at 1-1.

Marchand’s goal did more than just bring his team even against the Oilers. It was the difference between the Panthers gaining a sense of control after two games, or facing a 2-0 series hole after blowing third-period leads in both contests.


Arda Öcal’s Three Stars of Game 2

Aside from the fact that “The Rat King” already has two traditions in his short stint with the Panthers — another visit to Dairy Queen which occurred after yesterday’s team dinner, according Emily Kaplan, in addition to the team shooting plastic rats at him after wins — he scored a shorthanded, go-ahead goal in the middle frame. It was Marchand’s second shorthanded goal against a Canadian team on June 6 in history — he also against the Vancouver Canucks in 2011.

Then he scored the game winner in double overtime, also on a breakaway, capping an incredible game.

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Brad Marchand wins it in 2OT for Panthers

Brad Marchand’s second goal of the night wins it in Game 2 for the Panthers in double overtime in Edmonton.

McDavid finished with three assists, including one that would have been the best career assist for many NHL players — and the best in the postseason in many instances — except for the fact that McDavid seems to be doing things like this every single game.

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McDavid wizardry sets up Draisaitl for Oilers goal

The Oilers take the lead for the second time after Connor McDavid’s sensational assist to Leon Draisaitl.

3. The first period

What a way to start Game 2! The Panthers struck first thanks to Sam Bennett on the power play, then the Oilers scored two goals in under two minutes thanks to Evander Kane and Evan Bouchard. Seth Jones tied it up, but then a minute later, Connor McDavid made another McMagic kind of play, blowing by Aleksander Barkov and making Aaron Ekblad look silly before making a sublime pass to Leon Draisaitl. Just a reminder, this was all in the first period!

There were also 11 total penalties in the opening 20 minutes, but it didn’t feel like it ruined the flow at all … if anything, the power plays and 4-on-4 hockey it added it!


Players to watch in Game 3

Bouchard’s Game 2 performance adds to a tricky conversation facing the Oilers once they reach the offseason. But there’ll be more on that shortly. Game 2 was his seventh multi-point performance, and was also the second time this postseason he finished with three points in a single game.

Here’s where the nuance comes into play. Bouchard was involved in all but one of the Oilers’ goals. If not for Connor McDavid, he would have led them with 34:29 in ice time, which is slightly more than three Spongebob episodes. Receiving that much ice time further cements the trust he’s gained from Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch. However, he was on the ice for three goals against, including both of Marchand’s breakaways, while also being assessed for a pair of cross-checking penalties.

There’s still more to be said about how this postseason ends for the Oilers and Bouchard. But when it does? The two sides will need to agree on a new contract for the standout blueliner. Already on a bridge deal, he’s a pending restricted free agent who appears in line to earn a significant raise from the $4.3 million annual salary he’s earned the last two seasons. How will his play in the rest of the series influence those conversations?

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Oilers take lead on Evan Bouchard deflection

Evan Bouchard scores on a second-chance opportunity after getting the puck back off of a deflection.

What’s a more bizarre realization? The fact that Tkachuk hadn’t recorded a shot on goal until late in the third period — only to then have that shot registered for someone else? Or is it be the notion that this was the sixth time during these playoffs that he didn’t finish with a shot on goal?

Or is it the fact that the Panthers have lost only one of those games in which Tkachuk didn’t get a shot on goal?

Although the Panthers found the necessary offensive contributions to win Game 2, there’s no denying that Tkachuk will be central to their plans should they ultimately win this series. This postseason has seen Tkachuk respond by having a point in all but one of those games after he finished with no shots on goal (two of those shotless games were consecutive). Goals, while crucial, are only just part of the equation for Tkachuk, who had only one of the Panthers’ 60 hits. More is needed from Florida’s superstar.


Big questions for Game 3

Can the Oilers find more consistency early and not rely on their late-game heroics to win?

Two games of a series might be enough of a sample size to state that the Oilers must improve their play right off the hop, instead of trying to consistently rely on their late-game abilities which has been the case in both games thus far.

Look no further than the first period of Game 2. Although giving up two goals didn’t help their cause, they found ways to regain control. They had a 55% shot share overall while logging 14 shots on goal, which led to them scoring three goals, including Leon Draisaitl’s power-play goal that gave them a 3-2 lead heading into the second.

But that’s what made the second such a jarring one compared to how they started. They were limited to just nine shots, gave up two goals and were largely playing without the puck as they had a shot share below 30% before they rallied to tie the game late in the third to force what became a double-overtime contest.

Even though they lost by the closest of margins, how they played in the second could have been the difference between a 2-0 lead versus that of their current series split.

What must the Panthers do to put the Oilers away in the third period?

In Game 1, the Oilers ended the Panthers’ 31-game streak of winning when they had a lead after two periods. It nearly happened again Friday, with Perry’s late third-period goal that would force double overtime — only for Marchand’s second of the night to win the game.

After allowing three goals in the first period, the Panthers had a 70.45% shot share in the second. They had eight high-danger scoring chances in that frame, and made it count with two goals for a 4-3 lead entering the third.

Everything looked as if they were going to win Game 2 until, well, the Oilers came back to tie the game in the final frame … again.

Once the game was in OT, Florida had numerous chances to score the game-winning goal in both periods before Marchand tallied the game-winner.

There’s no need to fully delve into how much the Panthers know about the Oilers’ ability to come back, given what happened last season when Edmonton came back from down 3-0 tie force Game 7. But it is worth noting that Edmonton came into Game 2 scoring 15 goals in the final five minutes of regulation this postseason, while also being 4-0 in overtime, which just reinforces how nothing is really safe against the Oilers.

In a way, the Panthers survived in a way most haven’t this postseason. They might not be so lucky the next time.

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Walker back in Phils’ rotation after Abel demoted

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Walker back in Phils' rotation after Abel demoted

PHILADELPHIA — Mick Abel couldn’t sustain his sublime major league debut and is headed to the minors.

Taijuan Walker is back in Philadelphia’s rotation. And anticipation that prized prospect Andrew Painter could be headed to the Phillies will stretch past the All-Star break.

Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suárez and Cristopher Sánchez are about the only sure things this year in Philadelphia’s rotation.

The Phillies demoted Abel, the rookie right-hander who has struggled since he struck out nine in his major league debut, to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies also recalled reliever Seth Johnson from Lehigh Valley ahead of Friday’s loss to Cincinnati.

The 23-year-old Abel made six starts for the Phillies and went 2-2 with 5.04 ERA with 21 strikeouts and nine walks.

“Mick needed to go down and breathe a little bit,” manager Rob Thomson said. “Just get a little reset. It’s not uncommon.”

A 6-foot-5 right-hander selected 15th overall by the Phillies in the 2020 amateur draft, Abel dazzled against Pittsburgh in May when his nine strikeouts tied a Phillies high for a debut, set by Curt Simmons against the New York Giants on Sept. 28, 1947.

Abel hasn’t pitched beyond the fifth inning in any of his last four starts and was rocked for five runs in 1⅔ innings Wednesday against San Diego.

Abel was 3-12 with a 6.46 ERA last year for Lehigh Valley, walking 78 in 108⅔ innings. He improved to 5-2 with a 2.53 ERA in eight minor league starts this year, walking 19 in 46⅓ innings.

“This guy’s had a really good year,” Thomson said. “His poise, his composure is outstanding. He’s really grown. We just need to get back to that. Just attack the zone and get through adversity.”

The Phillies will give Walker another start in Abel’s place against San Francisco. Walker has bounced between the rotation and the bullpen over the past two seasons. He has made eight starts with 11 relief appearances this season and is 3-5 with one save and a 3.64 ERA.

Thomson had said he wanted to give Walker an extended look in the bullpen. Abel’s struggles instead forced Walker — in the third year of a four-year, $72-million contract — back to the rotation. For now.

“He always considers himself a starter and ultimately wants to start,” Thomson said. “He’ll do anything for the ballclub, because he’s that type of guy, but I think he’s generally happy he’s going to go back into a normal routine, normal for him, anyway.”

Wheeler, Suárez and Sánchez have been lights-out in the rotation this year and helped lead the Phillies into first place in the NL East. Jesús Luzardo was a pleasant early season surprise but has struggled over the past two months and gave up six runs in two-plus innings in Friday’s 9-6 loss to the Reds.

“I still have all the confidence in the world in Luzardo,” Thomson said. “Everybody’s going to have bad outings here and there. I think we’re still fine.”

Thomson said he had not made a final decision on who will be the fifth starter after the All-Star break. Painter has two more scheduled starts in Triple-A before the MLB All-Star break and could earn a spot in the rotation. The 22-year-old will not pitch in the All-Star Futures Game as part of the plan to keep him on a hopeful path to the rotation.

Painter hurt an elbow during spring training in 2023 and had Tommy John surgery later that year. He was the 13th overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft and signed for a $3.9 million bonus.

Because of the All-Star break and a quirk in the schedule that has them off on all five Thursdays in July, the Phillies won’t even need a fifth starter after next week until July 22.

Aaron Nola could be back by August as he works his way back from a rib injury. Nola will spend the All-Star break rehabbing in Florida and needs one or two minor league starts before he can rejoin the rotation.

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Cubs’ Taillon (calf) to miss more than month

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Cubs' Taillon (calf) to miss more than month

CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs righty Jameson Taillon was placed on the injured list on Friday with a right calf strain, the team announced before its game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He’s expected to miss “more than a month,” according to manager Craig Counsell.

Taillon, 33, injured his calf on his last wind sprint after a bullpen session on Thursday.

“He’s going to miss a pretty significant amount of time,” Counsell said.

Taillon was 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA in 17 starts for the Cubs this season who just got lefty Shota Imanaga back from a hamstring injury. Now they’ll have to navigate at least the rest of this month without one of their other key starters.

“There’s a little room for us to be flexible right now,” Counsell said citing the upcoming All-Star break. “We’ll use that to our advantage and we’ll go from there.”

The team recalled left-hander Jordan Wicks to take Taillon’s spot on the roster, though he won’t go directly into the rotation. Instead, the Cubs will throw a bullpen game on Saturday against the Cardinals and “go from there,” according to Counsell.

Wicks, 25, went 1-3 with one save, a 4.06 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 12 appearances (11 starts) with Triple-A Iowa this season. In his past five starts dating to May 18, he posted a 1.65 ERA with 20 strikeouts, compared to just three walks, a 0.86 WHIP and a .186 opponent batting average.

The team might also consider a bigger role for righty Chris Flexen who has been fantastic for them out of the bullpen. Flexen, 31, has a 0.62 ERA in 16 games, including a four inning stint late last month.

“He’s a candidate to be stretched out for sure,” Counsell said. “He’s prepared to do a little bit more.”

Cubs brass have already stated they are looking for starting pitching before the trade deadline later this month. Counsell was asked if Taillon’s injury increases that need. He didn’t take the bait.

“The trade deadline isn’t until July 31,” he said. “I’m focused on the next week or 10 games before the All-Star break.”

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Guardians OF Thomas reinjures foot, exits game

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Guardians OF Thomas reinjures foot, exits game

CLEVELAND — Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas left during the sixth inning of Friday night’s game against the Detroit Tigers due to mild plantar fascia symptoms with his right foot.

Thomas missed 11 games in late May and early June because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He is batting .160 this season and .197 (13-for-66) since coming off the injured list on June 9. He does have four homers in his past 10 games.

“We think he’s good. The plantar fasciitis flared up a little bit again and I just didn’t like the way he looked running around the outfield. So rather than take a chance, I got him out of there,” manager Stephen Vogt said after the 2-1 loss to the Tigers.

Thomas also missed five weeks due to a right wrist bone bruise after getting hit by a pitch during the April 8 home opener against the Chicago White Sox.

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