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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.

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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.

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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.

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Ohtani takes Miz deep but phenom fans 12 in win

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Ohtani takes Miz deep but phenom fans 12 in win

MILWAUKEE — Shohei Ohtani greeted Jacob Misiorowski with a leadoff homer, but the Milwaukee Brewers‘ rookie phenom got the last word.

After giving up Ohtani’s 431-foot blast, Misiorowski responded with another dominant outing. He struck out a career-high 12 batters — including two-way superstar Ohtani in the third inning — to lead the Brewers to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

“It’s Shohei Ohtani,” Misiorowski said. “You kind of expect [that]. It’s cool to see him do it in action, but it fires me up even more coming back the next at-bat and striking him out. I’m right there. I think it was a moment of like, ‘OK, now we go.'”

Misiorowski, whose fastball routinely tops 100 mph, threw an 88.2 mph curveball on an 0-2 count to Ohtani, who crushed it for his 31st homer. That’s the most by a Dodgers player before the All-Star break.

It was the 21st career leadoff homer for the three-time MVP, who struck out swinging on a curveball in the third and walked to start the sixth. That was the only walk given up by Misiorowski, who scattered four hits.

“Really good stuff, aggressive in the zone,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “But what really stood out to me was his command and control.”

Misiorowski outdueled three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw, who surpassed 3,000 career strikeouts in his previous outing. Asked Monday about his matchup with Misiorowski, Kershaw said he only knew that the 6-foot-7 right-hander threw hard.

“I know him now, huh?” Kershaw said Tuesday. “That was super impressive. That was unbelievable. It was really special. Everything. Obviously the velo, but he’s got four pitches, commands the ball. I don’t know how you hit that, honestly. That’s just really tough.”

Misiorowski was glad to get Kershaw’s attention.

“I saw something online that he didn’t now who I was, so I hope he knows me now,” Misiorowski said. “It’s kind of cool.”

In five starts since the Brewers called him up from the minors, Misiorowski has already beaten Kershaw and 2024 NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes. In another outing, Misiorowski carried a perfect game into the seventh inning.

“He’s just broken the shell,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “He’s just out of the egg, all arms and legs. He’s still got gooey stuff coming off, you can see it, all arms and legs, but there’s something special about him.”

The numbers would indicate as much. Misiorowski is 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA and has given up only 12 hits in 25⅔ innings.

He topped out at 101.6 mph and threw 20 pitches of at least 100 on Tuesday. He also threw 19 curveballs after using curves only 10% of the time before Tuesday.

He was coming off his only shaky performance, giving up five runs — including a grand slam by Brandon Nimmo — and three walks over 3⅔ innings Wednesday in a 7-3 loss to the New York Mets.

It looked as if it might be more of the same after Ohtani went deep. Misiorowski responded by striking out 12 of the next 16 batters.

“I think that’s my job, is to figure it out on the fly,” he said. “I feel like I did it tonight.”

He got out of a jam in the sixth. The Dodgers trailed 2-1 and had runners on second and third with one out, but third baseman Andruw Monasterio fielded a grounder and threw out Ohtani at the plate, and Misiorowski retired Michael Conforto on a grounder.

Misiorowski pumped his fist as he headed toward the dugout, then watched the Brewers’ bullpen nail down the win.

“It’s so satisfying,” Misiorowski said. “It’s just a dream come true, to do what I did.”

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Giants walk off on Bailey’s inside-the-park homer

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Giants walk off on Bailey's inside-the-park homer

SAN FRANCISCO — Patrick Bailey hit a three-run, inside-the-park home run with one out in the ninth inning, lifting the San Francisco Giants to a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night.

Bailey became just the third catcher in MLB history to hit a walk-off, inside-the-park home run, joining the Chicago Cubs’ Pat Moran in 1907 and the Washington Nationals’ Bennie Tate in 1926.

Bailey’s homer would have been an outside-the-park home run in 29 of 30 ballparks, with Oracle Park being the exception.

Mike Yastrzemski reached base twice and scored to help the Giants to their sixth win in seven games.

Casey Schmitt began the rally with a leadoff double. After Jung Hoo Lee popped out, Wilmer Flores lined a single to center.

Bailey, who grounded into a double play and struck out in two of his previous at-bats, then smashed a 1-0 fastball from Jordan Romano (1-4) into right-center field that ricocheted off the brick part of the wall.

Ryan Walker (2-3) retired one batter, with two on in the top of the ninth, to earn the win.

Phillies All-Star Kyle Schwarber had two hits, including his team-leading 28th home run.

Schwarber flew out, struck out and was hit by a pitch before homering off Giants reliever Spencer Bivens into McCovey Cove. Brandon Marsh, who singled as a pinch hitter leading off the inning, scored on the play.

Two days after being named an All-Star for the second time in his career, Robbie Ray gave up four hits and one run in 5⅔ innings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Mets’ Mendoza: Snubbed Soto ‘an All-Star for us’

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Mets' Mendoza: Snubbed Soto 'an All-Star for us'

BALTIMORE — The New York Mets consider Juan Soto to be a bona fide All-Star, despite the snub he received from those who selected the National League squad for the Midsummer Classic on July 15.

Soto, in his first year with the Mets, has performed well enough to earn the respect of his manager and teammates. In their opinion, he’s deserving of a place in the All-Star Game next week in Atlanta.

“He’s an All-Star for us,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday night after the Mets beat Baltimore 7-6. “It’s frustrating, but I’m hoping in the next couple of days we hear something and he makes it.”

Soto drove in the winning run with a sharp single on the first pitch of the 10th inning. That capped a night in which he went 3 for 5 to raise his batting average to .269 with 21 homers and 52 RBIs.

Soto has walked 72 times, by far the most in the majors, but he can also lash out at a pitcher when necessary.

“He’s got a pretty good understanding of what the pitchers are trying to do to him,” Mendoza said. “There is his awareness of the game, he’s going to see pitchers. There are times when he’s going to be aggressive. Tonight was one of those nights. First pitch in the 10th, he’s attacking.”

Soto made the All-Star team as a member of the Nationals, Padres and Yankees each year since 2021. The streak appears to be over. But his teammates believe he deserves to go.

“What he done all year is just incredible, and the results are good enough,” Mets starting pitcher Clay Holmes said. “The consistency he’s showed up with, at the at-bats he’s taken, is more than an All-Star. He’s one of the best in the game and a big part of our lineup.”

Soto seems rather philosophical about the snub.

“Sometimes, you’re going to make it and sometimes you don’t,” he told reporters after Sunday’s loss to the Yankees. “It’s just part of baseball.”

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