Panthers' Brad Marchand Praised By Matthew Tkachuk After 2OT Goal in Stanley Cup Final

Brad Marchand's breakaway goal in double overtime gave the Florida Panthers a 5-4 victory over the host Edmonton Oilers to tie the Stanley Cup Final at one game apiece on Friday evening.

Afterward, Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk praised Marchand, a four-time All-Star who joined Florida via trade last March following 15-plus seasons with the Boston Bruins.

"His anticipation and his hockey sense is unbelievable," Tkachuk said. "You see it tonight with two breakaway goals: just seeing the play and he's gone. I saw that a ton with him playing in Boston. Way better seeing it now."

Earlier in the game, Marchand scored a breakaway short-handed goal at 12:09 of the second period to give Florida a 4-3 lead.

Florida held that lead until 18 seconds left in the third period, when Corey Perry scored with the extra attacker to tie the game at four.

The Panthers stayed loose in the locker room despite the tough ending in regulation, though, as Tkachuk noted.

"We're coming in here, we're hooting and hollering, we're having some fun," Tkachuk said. "We were picking guys that we thought were going to score. I'm sure a lot of guys had Marchy."

Sure enough, Marchand's second goal (and his seventh of the Stanley Cup playoffs) sent the series to Florida with the Panthers now holding home-ice advantage.