The Edmonton Oilers' goal for Game 5 was to drag the Florida Panthers back to Alberta.
They succeeded.
Both teams are heading back on a plane for the 2,500-mile-plus flight to Edmonton as the Oilers forced a Game 6 with a 5-3 victory on Tuesday night.
Oilers captain and three-time NHL MVP Connor McDavid was the driving force again, getting two goals and two assists in Game 5 to give him eight points over the last two games as his team has staved off elimination twice.
"It was a total team effort, top to bottom," McDavid told reporters.
Zach Hyman got his first goal of the final, Corey Perry scored his first of the playoffs after a tremendous stickhandling effort from McDavid and the Oilers' special teams connected for two power-play goals and a short-handed one.
The Oilers are just the fourth team to force a Game 6 after losing the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final.
The Panthers pressed after falling behind 4-1 but couldn’t tie it up in the third period and McDavid scored an empty-netter.
The Panthers will try to end their two-game losing streak and wrap up their first Stanley Cup championship on Friday night (8 p.m. ET, ABC) at Edmonton’s Rogers Place.
“I’m not feeling deflated, neither is the hockey team," Panthers coach Paul Maurice told reporters. "They’re not feeling deflated. A little grumpy.”
A closer look at Game 5:
Connor McDavid, Oilers: He had another four-point game as he saved the Oilers' season again. He beat Sergei Bobrovsky from a sharp angle and weaved through defenders to set up Corey Perry. McDavid has 42 points, fourth best all time and five points behind Wayne Gretzky's 1985 NHL record.
Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers: He looked like the Tkachuk of old. He broke a nine-game goal drought, set up Oliver Ekman-Larsson's goal and dealt out six hits. His sliding stop on an Oilers empty net goal was impressive.
Evan Bouchard, Oilers: He had three assists to give him 26 this postseason, breaking Paul Coffey's NHL record.
Panthers' special teams: You can't give up short-handed goals in back-to-back games if you're going to close out a series. The Oilers also scored two power-play goals and now have three after getting none in the first three games of the final.
Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers: This is his second two-game losing streak of the playoffs. He has given up nine goals on 39 shots in those games. He gave McDavid just enough space on the Oilers captain's first goal.
Carter Verhaeghe, Panthers: He had a -3 plus-minus rating for a third consecutive game and has one point in his last seven games. Maurice moved him back to the Aleksander Barkov line to try to get him going.
As they had since the score was 4-1, the Panthers controlled play in the third. Oliver Ekman-Larsson got Florida within one, but the Panthers couldn't get the tying goal. Shots were 11-4 Florida and Stuart Skinner was strong as the Panthers pressed.
Matthew Tkachuk slides and sweeps the puck away from the empty net to keep Florida alive but Connor McDavid picks up the loose puck and scores to put the game away.
Florida still alive. One minute left.
There's 1:38 left.
There's 2:31 left in the third period.
Florida's Dmitry Kulikov is called for tripping. Panthers kill it off.
Edmonton's Dylan Holloway is called for hooking Matthew Tkachuk. But the refs also say that Tkachuk embellished his fall.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson rips a shot over Stuart Skinner's glove at 4:04. Matthew Tkachuk picks up the assist and has been a force in this game.
Edmonton needs 20 minutes to hold off Florida and force Game 6.
What a wild period. Edmonton emerges with a two-goal lead because Connor McDavid had an unbelievable period. He was flying down the ice and showed off his stickhandling and passing skill on the Corey Perry goal. But Florida responded well, getting a quick goal from Evan Rodrigues. The Panthers spent most of the rest of the period in the Edmonton zone and outshot the Oilers 17-10 in the second.
Evan Rodrigues slashes Connor McDavid, who looks dangerous again on a rush. But Zach Hyman is penalized for interference and it's 4-on-4 again.
Evan Rodrigues scores 14 seconds after Corey Perry.
Connor McDavid splits the defense and feeds Corey Perry on the doorstep for a power play. It was Perry's first goal of the 2024 postseason. Evan Bouchard gets his 26th assist of the postseason, an NHL record.
Kyle Okposo called for hooking at 10:02. Panthers need to kill this off.
Not long after Panthers coach Paul Maurice said there was plenty of time left in the game, Matthew Tkachuk scores after an Edmonton turnover. He ends a nine-game goal drought. Evan Rodrigues, moved back to the second line, gets the assist.
The Panthers put Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe back together again. Evan Rodrigues goes to the second line.
Oilers are pouring it on again. Connor McDavid scores from a sharp angle against Sergei Bobrovsky. The crowd is silent. Evan Bouchard gets his 25th assist to tie Paul Coffey's NHL record for most by a defenseman in a single postseason.
The Oilers score with two seconds left in their power play. Evan Bouchard's point shot banks in off Zach Hyman's body for his first goal of the series and 15th of the playoffs. The Oilers now have two power-play goals in their past two games. Bouchard (30 points) and Connor McDavid (33rd assist) pick up the assists.
The Oilers score short-handed again for their opening goal, but the Panthers only trail by that goal after one period. Florida went the last 14 minutes of the period without a shot on goal. Edmonton leads 10-6 in shots. Stuart Skinner makes a big save early in the game on Aaron Ekblad.
Edmonton will start the second period with a power play after Florida's Niko Mikkola is called for interference.
Aleksander Barkov is called for cross-checking Evan Bouchard. Edmonton's power play broke through in Game 4, but it won't have a chance this time because Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' penalty makes it 4-on-4. Still 1-0 Edmonton after Panthers' brief power play expires.
For the second game in a row, the Oilers open the scoring with a short-handed goal. This time it's Connor Brown on a breakaway after he intercepts a Brandon Montour pass. It's an unassisted goal at 5:30. Brown set up Mattias Janmark's short-handed goal on Saturday.
Oilers kill off the rest of the power play.
Edmonton's Brett Kulak high sticks Ryan Lomberg.
Aleksander Barkov line is out against Connor McDavid line. Sam Bennett line is out against Leon Draisaitl line.
Edmonton's Mattias Janmark gets a shot in the first 12 seconds and Sergei Bobrovsky stops it.
The Oilers put out their third line, which provided two quick goals in Game 4. The Panthers put out their third line, too. That leaves them the option of having Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov and defensemen Gustav Forsling and Aaron Ekblad out against the Connor McDavid line.
F - Anton Lundell
F - Vladimir Tarasenko
F - Eetu Luostarinen
D - Oliver Ekman-Larsson
D - Dmitry Kulikov
G - Sergei Bobrovsky
F - Mattias Janmark
F - Adam Henrique
F - Connor Brown
D - Evan Bouchard
D - Mattias Ekholm
G - Stuart Skinner
Oilers forward Evander Kane, who is dealing with an injury, will miss a third consecutive game.
The referees are Steve Kozari and Dan O'Rourke. The linesmen are Jonny Murray and Matt MacPherson.
The Panthers are making a lineup change for Game 5, bringing in fourth-line forward Ryan Lomberg after six games as a healthy scratch. He adds speed and feistiness.
"Great energy that he brings to our room," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. "But to give him credit, he also brings it when he wasn't in the lineup."
Forward Steven Lorentz is coming out of the lineup.
Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
Game 5 will be shown nationally on ABC in the United States. It will be shown on Sportsnet and CBC in Canada.
Game 5 can be streamed on ESPN+ and Fubo.
Panthers: Shore up their defensive support up and down the ice. The Oilers used their speed and long up-ice passes to get past the Panthers' forechecking and create odd-man rushes.
Oilers: Show the same desperation they showed in Game 4. Try to score early and take the crowd out of the game.
Read more keys to victory here
The Oilers' goal Tuesday is to extend the series to a sixth game, which would be in Edmonton. Only four NHL teams have forced a Game 6 after losing the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final. The last to do it: the 2012 New Jersey Devils against the Los Angeles Kings, who won Game 6.
"It's not the most enjoyable flight," Oilers captain Connor McDavid said Tuesday. "Just make them go on more plane ride, one more flight. That's all we can do."
Odds via BetMGM
Moneyline: Panthers -165, Oilers +140
Spread: Panthers -1.5 (+170), Oilers +1.5 (+170)
Over-under: 5.5. Over (-105), under 5.5 (-115)
Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky (15-6, 2.27 goals-against average, .909 save percentage) vs. Oilers' Stuart Skinner (12-8, 2.51, .898).
They are 2-1, beating the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers and losing to the Boston Bruins.
They are 2-1, beating the Los Angeles Kings and Dallas Stars and losing to the Vancouver Canucks.
They are 3-3, losing their first opportunities against the Lightning, Bruins and Oilers. But they won their second chance against the Lightning and Bruins and beat the Rangers on their first opportunity.
They were 3-0, winning in Games 6 and 7 against the Canucks in the second round and in Game 4 against the Panthers.
None. They reached the final previously in 1996 and 2023.
Five. They won in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1990. They also went to the final in 1983 and 2006.
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