Corey Perry became a hero to Edmonton Oilers fans late in the third period on Friday night. His goal with 18 seconds remaining tied Game 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers. It forced overtime, as well, giving his team a chance to take a 2-0 series lead.
Unfortunately, the Oilers could not capitalize on this moment. Edmonton lost Game 2 in double overtime against the Panthers. It was another veteran, Brad Marchand, who scored the game winning goal after both teams had their chances in the extra frames.
After the game, Perry did not want his team to focus on their missed chances. It’s certainly unfortunate that they couldn’t strike when they had the chance. Still, Edmonton needs to focus on the task still ahead of them in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.
“It’s a tough one to swallow, but it’s not supposed to be easy,” Perry said, via The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman. “They played hard tonight. They got their chances, and they capitalized on that one. That’s the difference.”
“The chances missed, you can think about it, dwell on it. But what’s it going to do?” Perry continued. “It’s not going to do anything for you now.”
Oilers Find Positives In Crushing Panthers Defeat
Bruce Bennett/Getty ImagesEdmonton Oilers forward Corey Perry is not looking to focus on the past.
The Oilers know they had a chance to put the Panthers in a vice grip. Edmonton could have taken a 2-0 series lead into Games 3 and 4 in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers have played well at home, to be fair. But the battle from a 2-0 series deficit in the Stanley Cup Final is a new world of pressure.
This didn’t happen for Edmonton. However, they aren’t hanging their heads about the result. They recognize they played a good game of hockey on Friday night. It just came down to the smallest of details in Game 2.
“It’s very close out there. It’s not a lot of room and ice out there,” Oilers defenseman John Klingberg said, via Nugent-Bowman. “But we battled back, scoring that goal got some momentum, had some good chances in overtime as well as them. It’s a bounce here and there.”
2025 Stanley Cup Final is Razor Thin
The first two games of this Stanley Cup Final have highlighted the quality of these teams. The Oilers and Panthers know each other well from last year’s Final. However, they appear to be more evenly matched this time around.
“Each game could’ve went either way,” Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch said. “When you win the first one, you’re disappointed you don’t follow up and win the second one. But we’re going there with a split and that’s fine with us.”
The Oilers and Panthers are not giving each other anything on the ice. It has made for excellent viewing, especially for neutral fans. As the series nears an end, the action will only get more intense. Edmonton and Florida play Game 3 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final on Monday night at 8 p.m. Eastern Time at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
Corey Perry Urges Oilers to Move On From Game 2 Loss