Stanley Cup Final 2024: Connor McDavid's four-point night lifts Oilers to Game 5 win over Panthers

Oilers' 5-3 victory forces Game 6 Friday night in Edmonton

The Edmonton Oilers were able to outlast the Florida Panthers to win Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Oilers used a three-goal second period to create just enough separation to record a 5-3 win.

In doing so, the Oilers were able to extend the series and force a Game 6 in Edmonton on Friday.

Oilers star center Connor McDavid produced another sensational outing with two goals and two assists. It marked the second consecutive game in which McDavid tallied a four-point performance.

His four-point outing brings his 2024 postseason total to 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists), which is the fourth-most in a single postseason in NHL history.

McDavid ended up assisting on the eventual game-winning goal at the 11:54 mark of the second period. The star forward weaved his way through the Panthers defense before dishing off a picture-perfect pass to Corey Perry for the tap-in goal. 

The goal was quite historic for the 19-year veteran. Perry is now the only player in NHL history to score a Stanley Cup Final goal with five different teams.

The Oilers got off to quite a strong start as they ended up jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the second period. 

Just five minutes into the second period, Oilers forward Warren Foegele secured the puck on the forecheck, and was able to get the puck over to McDavid. McDavid was able to skate his way in and score from the side of the net after Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky wasn't set in his stance.

Just when it appeared that the Panthers were firmly in the driver's seat, the Panthers scored two of the next three goals to make it a 4-2 game entering the third period. 

Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson added a goal just 4:04 into the third period, but the Oilers did just enough to outlast the Panthers down the stretch. McDavid added an empty-net goal at the 19:41 mark to put the game out of reach.

The Oilers have now lit up Bobrovsky for a grand total of nine goals over the past two games. In the opening three contests of the Stanley Cup Final, Edmonton had scored just four total goals.

[Jun 18, 2024 at 9:59 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

End of 2nd Period: Oilers 4, Panthers 2

There were goals aplenty throughout the second period. The Oilers were able outscore the Panthers 3-2 in the frame, and received goals from Connor McDavid, Corey Perry, and Zach Hyman. Both Hyman and Perry's goals came on the power-play, which is an area where Edmonton has struggled throughout the Stanley Cup Final. Meanwhile, the Panthers got tallies from forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Evan Rodrigues. Rodrigues' goal was his series-high fourth of the Stanley Cup Final. Buckle up for what should be an entertaining final 20 minutes in South Florida.

[Jun 18, 2024 at 9:25 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

Connor McDavid is back in the scoring column. After Oilers forward Warren Foegele secured the puck on the forecheck, McDavid was able to score from a side angle. Edmonton have hung three goals on Sergei Bobrovsky in the opening 25 minutes of Game 5 and lead 3-0.

[Jun 18, 2024 at 9:20 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard rockets a slap shot from the point, and Zach Hyman deflected it past Sergei Bobrovsky with just two seconds remaining on the Edmonton power-play. The traffic in front made that goal possible, and now the Oilers lead 2-0 early in the second period.

[Jun 18, 2024 at 9:58 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

End of 1st Period: Oilers 1, Panthers 0

The Oilers got off to a strong start in Game 5 as they scored the lone goal of the opening 20 minutes. Edmonton forward Connor Brown was able to get in all alone with the puck and was able to slide it past the pad of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. It marked the second consecutive game in which the Oilers began the contest with a shorthanded goal. The Oilers also have a 10-6 advantage in the shots department, and goalie Stuart Skinner has excelled thus far. Edmonton will begin the second period on the power-play after Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola was whistled for interference at the end of the first period.

[Jun 18, 2024 at 8:50 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

The Oilers have back-checked very well in the opening period. The Panthers haven't been able to get many high-quality scoring chances throughout the frame as they've met with resistance upon bringing the puck into the zone.

[Jun 18, 2024 at 8:41 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will head to the penalty box for hooking after he hauled down Anton Lundell. It'll be a 4-on-4 situation for the next 57 seconds before the Panthers will get an abbreviated power-play.

[Jun 18, 2024 at 8:39 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov gets penalized for cross-checking, so the Oilers will head to the power-play. Edmonton is just 1-for-16 on the man advantage in this series.

[Jun 18, 2024 at 8:32 pm ET · Chris Bengel]

The Oilers gets a shorthanded goal courtesy of Connor Brown. Brown is patient and is able to slide the puck past Sergei Bobrovsky on the break. Impressive start for Edmonton.